JP2002288065A - Pictorial communication device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To rewrite a control program for facsimile body part, network control part, or option board through a network in a pictorial communication device such as an Internet facsimile device or the like. SOLUTION: In this pictorial communication device, the control program for each part can be unitarily rewritten without requiring the rewrite in an independent route. Therefore, version upgrade, maintenance, set change of equipment, addition of new function or the like can be performed from a remote place.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image communication apparatus such as a facsimile apparatus connected to a network such as the Internet, and more particularly to a control program for an image communication apparatus main body and an option board provided in the apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Rewriting of a control program of an image communication apparatus in which a board such as a printer controller or a network controller is incorporated in a facsimile apparatus main body or the like is performed as follows.
For example, the facsimile machine main unit is performed via a telephone line, the control program of a printer controller is performed via a parallel cable according to an instruction from a personal computer, and the control program of a network controller is performed via a network. Each is done individually.

[0003]

A basic object of the present invention is to provide an image communication apparatus such as a facsimile apparatus connected to a network.
It is an object of the present invention to allow a control program to be rewritten centrally via a network. An additional object of the present invention is to enable a control program to be rewritten in a centralized manner via a network even when an option board is added to an image communication apparatus. A further object of the present invention is to make it possible to easily and surely rewrite a control program for each part of the device (claim 3).

[0004]

An image communication apparatus according to the present invention is an image communication apparatus including a main body having an image reading section, an image recording section, and a telephone line connection section, and a network control section. Receiving the control program and the control program of the network control unit via a network,
A rewriting means for rewriting the control program of the main unit and the control program of the network control unit with the received control program is provided (claim 1). The rewriting of the control program may be performed only for one control program of the main body of the image communication device or the network control unit, or may be performed for both.

Preferably, the main unit includes an option board in addition to the network control unit, and the control program of the option board is further rewritten by the rewriting means.

[0006] More preferably, the control program transmitted through the network is configured in packet units,
Each packet includes information for specifying a rewriting target, the rewriting means includes a rewriting means of the main body, and a rewriting means of the network control unit, the rewriting means of the network control unit, The information of each packet is checked to determine whether to rewrite its own control program or to transfer the packet to the main unit. (Claim 3).

When an option board is connected to the main unit, even if the packet is transferred in the order of the network control unit, the option board, and the main unit, the packet is transferred in the order of the network control unit, the main unit, and the option board. Is also good. When each control unit detects a packet addressed to its own unit during packet transfer, it rewrites its own control program, and if it is not addressed to its own unit, transfers it to the next control unit.

[0008]

According to the image communication apparatus of the present invention, the control program of the apparatus main unit or the network control unit is rewritten in a unified manner using the network. Therefore, it is possible to easily rewrite (update) programs such as program version upgrade, maintenance, addition of functions, setting changes, etc. from a remote place, and to update the respective control programs to the device main body unit and the network control unit. Need not be done individually. The instruction to rewrite the control program can be issued from a personal computer in the LAN or from a remote center or the like via the Internet. That is, it is possible to remotely rewrite control programs for the image communication device, the network control unit, and the like.

In particular, an image communication apparatus having a complex function is provided with various option boards, and a control program can be centrally updated via a network for the apparatus body and each option board. become.
(Claim 2).

Here, when information is transmitted in packet units,
It is possible to further easily rewrite the control programs of the device main body unit and the network control unit (claim 3).
In other words, the rewrite target is specified by the information in the packet, and if the own unit is the target for rewriting, the control program is rewritten. .

[0011]

An embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.
FIG. 1 shows a configuration of a facsimile apparatus main body 2 as an image communication apparatus, and the facsimile apparatus main body 2 is connected to a network. The facsimile apparatus has multiple functions such as an Internet function, a copying function, a printer function, and a scanner function. In the figure, 4 is a main control unit, 6 is a network control unit (NCU), 8 is a modem,
Reference numeral 10 denotes an image memory for storing an image read by a scanner or a received image, 12 a RAM for temporarily storing data being processed, etc., 14 a flash ROM for storing a control program and the like, and a rewritable memory. Should be fine. Reference numeral 16 denotes a display unit formed of, for example, an LCD. Reference numeral 18 denotes an operation unit formed of, for example, a touch panel, other switches, ten keys, and the like superimposed on the LCD. Reference numeral 20 denotes a document reading unit including a scanner and a document feeder. Reference numeral 22 denotes an image recording unit that prints a read image, a received image, and the like on a sheet. An image communication management unit 24 manages image transmission and reception by facsimile.

Reference numeral 26 denotes a network control board (LAN interface), which is a connection board for a LAN. Reference numeral 28 denotes a printer control board, which can perform a printing operation from an external personal computer 29 connected by, for example, a parallel cable. 30 is LA
N, 32 denotes a personal computer connected to the LAN 30, which may be used for using the facsimile apparatus as a printer or a scanner. In this case, a personal computer carried by service personnel for maintenance and temporarily connected to the LAN 30 And 34 is LAN 30
Mail server connected to the Internet network 38
And a server such as a center connected to the server 6 via the Internet.

FIG. 2 shows the main body 2 of the facsimile apparatus shown in FIG.
And connections between the boards 26 and 28. Reference numerals 40 and 42 denote main control units of the network control board 26 and the printer control board 28, respectively. 44,4
Reference numeral 6 denotes each flash ROM, which may be a rewritable memory, and reference numerals 48 and 50 denote respective RAMs. Reference numeral 52 denotes an input / output buffer of each of the boards 26 and 28. When a packet for rewriting the control program is detected by using a dual port RAM, a packet to its own unit or a packet to another board or the like is transmitted from the packet header. Sort packets. In the case of a packet to its own unit, the main control unit 40 or 42 is requested to rewrite the flash ROM 44 or 46 storing the control program. Reference numeral 54 denotes a bus of the facsimile apparatus main body 2, LA
The exchange of information with N30 is performed via boards 26 and 28. 56 is the ROM 14 of the facsimile apparatus main body 2
Manages the ROM 14 and exchanges data with the bus 54.

The operation of the embodiment will be described. The facsimile machine having the network control board 26 and the printer control board 28 is instructed from a personal computer 32 in a LAN or a computer 38 in a remote center to upgrade, maintain, add functions, and the like. Rewriting of the control program necessary for these processes is performed on the facsimile apparatus main body 2 and the ROMs 14, 44, 46 of the boards 26, 28 as necessary. The rewriting of the ROM may be performed on a plurality of ROMs, for example, only on the ROM 14 of the facsimile apparatus main body, or on the ROM of each board. The information of the control program for rewriting the ROM is transmitted from the personal computer of the service staff or the server of the center in packet units.

Each packet has a header portion, and the header portion includes information for specifying a rewrite target, and is distributed to the main unit or each board according to the information. For example, in FIG. 2, the header of the first packet indicates that the facsimile apparatus main body is the destination, the next packet indicates that the printer control board is the destination, and the ROM 14 of the facsimile apparatus main body 2 and the printer The ROM 46 of the control board 28 is to be rewritten. When the network control board 26 or the printer control board 28 detects a packet addressed to the facsimile apparatus main body, the packet is transferred to the next board or the bus of the main body. When the management unit 56 of the apparatus main body 2 detects a packet addressed to itself, the ROM 14 is rewritten. Similarly,
When the printer control board 28 detects a packet addressed to itself, it stores the information of the packet in the RAM 50 and then rewrites the ROM 46 addressed to itself.

FIG. 3 shows an algorithm for rewriting the control program according to the embodiment. When the facsimile apparatus receives a packet from the network (step 1) and the packet is a flash ROM rewrite request packet (step 2), the dual port RAM of the network control board checks whether the packet is for itself by using a header. (Step 3). If the packet is not a flash ROM rewrite request packet, printing is performed as information from, for example, an Internet facsimile or a personal computer in a LAN (step 4). If it is a packet to another board, it is transferred.

The ROM of the network control board
If the packet is a rewrite request packet, the data of the received packet is stored in the RAM up to the last packet (steps 5 and 6). Then, the flash ROM 44
Is rewritten (step 7).

If the packet is a rewrite request packet to the printer control board, the data of the received rewrite request packet is stored in the RAM up to the last packet (steps 8 to 10), and the ROM of the printer control board is read.
Is rewritten (step 11). If the packet is not a packet to the printer control board, it is sent to the next facsimile apparatus main body.

Then, the packet relaying the board is
If the packet is a request for rewriting the ROM of the facsimile apparatus main body (step 12), the ROM of the facsimile apparatus main body is similarly rewritten (steps 13 to 1).
5).

As described above, according to the embodiment, the rewriting of the flash ROM of the apparatus main body and the board attached to the apparatus main body can be performed integrally via the network, instead of individually. Therefore, it is not necessary to separately perform processing for each of the ROMs, even if only a specific ROM needs to be rewritten. In addition, addition of functions, upgrades, maintenance, setting changes, and the like over a plurality of devices and boards can be instructed from the LAN or the Internet.

When rewriting the ROM of the facsimile apparatus main body or the ROM of a board attached thereto, rewriting information from the network is transmitted in packet units. The board that has received the packet rewrites the ROM if it is a rewrite request packet for the own board. A packet to another board or main body of the facsimile apparatus is transmitted to the next board or main body. The packet destination is detected by the dual port RAM, but may be detected by, for example, the main control unit of each unit. If the packet is transmitted to the board or the facsimile machine body to be rewritten, the corresponding RO
Rewrite M.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a facsimile apparatus according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing connections of respective parts in the facsimile apparatus of the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a flash ROM rewriting process in the facsimile apparatus of the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 Facsimile machine main unit 4 Main control unit 6 Network control unit (NCU) 8 Modem 10 Image memory 12 RAM 14 Flash ROM 16 Display unit 18 Operation unit 20 Document reading unit 22 Image recording unit 24 Image communication management unit 26 Network control board 28 Printer control board 29, 32 Personal computer 30 LAN 34 Mail server 36 Internet network 40, 42 Main control unit 44, 46 Flash ROM 54 Bus

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An image communication apparatus comprising: a main unit having an image reading unit, an image recording unit, and a telephone line connection unit; and a network control unit, wherein the control program for the main unit and the network control unit are provided. An image communication apparatus, comprising: receiving the control program of claim 1 via a network; and rewriting means for rewriting the control program of the main body unit and the control program of the network control unit with the received control program. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the main unit includes an option board in addition to the network control unit.
2. The image communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a control program of said option board is rewritten. 3. A control program transmitted via the network is configured in packet units, and each packet includes information for specifying a rewrite target. The rewriting means includes a rewriting means of the main body, Rewriting means of the network control unit, wherein the rewriting means of the network control unit checks the information of each packet to determine whether to rewrite its own control program or transfer it to the main unit. The image communication device according to claim 1, wherein