JP2004110220A - Method for updating program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent troubles resulting from the updating of a program. <P>SOLUTION: A copy (b) of a yet-to-be-updated program (a) in a program memory 22 is made into an external storage medium 5. When the normality of the copy is verified, start settings are set in the external storage medium 5 and a copy (c) of an updated program in the external storage medium 5 is made into a program memory 22 to restart electronic equipment. After the restart, when the start settings are for the external storage medium 5, the yet-to-be-updated program copied in the external storage medium 5 is started. Under these conditions, when a user selects the start of the updated program, the updated program in the program memory 22 is started. When the user selects the updating of the start settings, the start settings are restored to the program memory 22. Thus, the updated program in the program memory 22 is started at each subsequent restart. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a technology for updating a program such as a firmware program incorporated in various electronic devices for version upgrade, and more particularly to a technology for suppressing occurrence of a failure due to the update.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Various electronic devices often have a function of updating a firmware program incorporated in a form stored in a rewritable nonvolatile memory such as a ROM in a timely manner in order to upgrade the firmware.
Conventionally, such a firmware program has been updated simply by rewriting the firmware program on the ROM with a new firmware program.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
According to the conventional firmware program update technology, if a failure such as power-off occurs during the update work, the firmware program in the ROM is rewritten in an incomplete form. Since the electronic device cannot be executed normally, the electronic device may not be able to be started normally or the firmware program may not be updated normally.
[0004]
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to suppress occurrence of a failure due to the update when updating the program.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a method for updating a program stored in a non-volatile program holding memory of an electronic device by the electronic device. To a backup memory, which is a non-volatile memory other than the program holding memory, and confirming the identity of the program copied to the backup memory and the program stored in the program holding memory And setting, after the start of the electronic device, to operate the program copied to the backup memory in place of the program stored in the program holding memory when the identity is confirmed. The program stored in the program holding memory. Updating the program to a new program, and, when starting up the electronic device, if the program copied to the backup memory is set to operate, the electronic device is stored in the program holding memory. Operating the program copied to the backup memory in place of the program being executed, and after the program copied to the backup memory is operated, the electronic device is operated by the user according to a user instruction. Operating the new program stored in the backup memory, and activating the electronic device in a state where the program copied to the backup memory is set to operate, and then, in accordance with a user instruction, the electronic device After starting, the program holding memory Setting the new program stored to operate, and starting the electronic device in a state where the new program stored in the program holding memory is set to operate, and Is a step of operating a new program stored in the program holding memory.
[0006]
According to such a program updating method, a program stored in the program holding memory is copied to the backup memory, and after the normality of the copy is confirmed, the program is stored in the program holding memory. Is updated to a new program, the update of the program stored in the program holding memory fails, or the new program itself for updating the program stored in the program holding memory When there is a problem, the program stored in the program holding memory can be returned to the original program by using the copied program.
[0007]
Further, after updating the program stored in the program holding memory, after the start of the electronic device, not after the update of the program stored in the program holding memory, until the user's instruction, Since the pre-update program copied to the backup memory will be operated, such as after the first startup after the program update of the program storage memory, there is a problem in the program after the update of the program storage memory. Thus, it is possible to avoid that the electronic device does not operate normally and the electronic device cannot perform required processing for dealing with a problem occurring in the updated program.
[0008]
Further, according to the update method, the program before the update stored in the program holding memory is kept in a state in which the program before the update copied to the backup memory after the start-up is set to operate. Can be run to check the normality of its operation. That is, if the updated program stored in the program holding memory does not operate normally, the electronic device is restarted to operate the program before updating copied to the backup memory. Therefore, it is possible to avoid that the electronic device does not operate normally as described above, thereby preventing the electronic device from being able to perform required processing for dealing with a problem occurring in the updated program.
[0009]
Then, when the normality of the updated program stored in the program holding memory can be confirmed, the user issues a predetermined instruction, and after the start-up, the updated program stored in the program holding memory is stored. Updating the program can be completed by setting the program to operate.
[0010]
Here, in such a method for updating a program, further, after starting the electronic device in a state where the program copied to the backup memory is set to operate, the program is updated in accordance with a user instruction. A step of updating the program stored in the holding memory with a new program may be provided.
[0011]
By doing so, if a problem occurs in the updated program stored in the program holding memory, the program stored in the program holding memory is updated again with the program having the corrected problem. Then, the above-described operation after updating the program in the program holding memory can be performed.
[0012]
Further, in the above-described program updating method, after the electronic device is started in a state where the program copied to the backup memory is set to operate, the electronic device is copied to the backup memory according to a user instruction. The program may further include a step of updating the program stored in the program holding memory.
[0013]
By doing so, when a problem occurs in the updated program stored in the program holding memory, the program stored in the program holding memory is restored to the program before the update. Will be able to Here, in the above-described program updating method, the backup memory is a general-purpose storage medium, and updating of a program stored in the program holding memory to a new program is performed by using the general-purpose storage medium. The update may be performed by updating the program stored in the program holding memory with the new program stored in the storage device. The application to the update of the program of the electronic device is preferable from the viewpoint of easiness of the update operation and saving of resources required for the update.
[0014]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described by taking an example of application to a firmware program update of an electronic device.
FIG. 1 illustrates a configuration example of an electronic device to be updated with a firmware program in the present embodiment.
As shown in the figure, this electronic apparatus can mount an external storage medium 5 such as a CPU 1, a rewritable ROM 2 such as a flash memory, a RAM 3 used as a main memory of the CPU 1, and a general-purpose memory card. An input device 7 such as a key switch connected via an external storage medium interface 4 and an input interface 6, a display device 9 such as an LCD connected via a display interface 8, a boot setting register 10 which is a nonvolatile memory And a functional unit 11 that provides the function of the electronic device. Here, the electronic device is, for example, a printer, and in this case, the function unit 11 provides a printing function.
[0015]
In the description of the present embodiment, one storage area obtained by dividing the storage area of the ROM 2 into two is referred to as a startup program memory 21 and the other storage area is referred to as a program memory 22 for convenience. The program memory 22 stores a firmware program to be updated for version-up or the like, and the startup program memory 21 performs startup processing of the program in the program memory 22, and activates firmware that is not normally updated. The processing program is stored.
[0016]
Hereinafter, a process of updating a program stored in the program memory 22 in such an electronic device will be described.
FIG. 2 shows a procedure of a boot process performed by a boot process program stored in the boot program memory 21.
The activation processing program is loaded from the activation program into the RAM 3 when the electronic device is activated, and is executed by the CPU 1.
As shown in the figure, in the activation process, first, a predetermined initialization process of each section of the electronic device is performed (step 200). Then, it is checked whether the boot setting stored in the boot setting register 10 is the program memory 22 or the external storage medium 5 (step 202). Here, this startup setting is normally the program memory 22.
[0017]
If the start setting is the program memory 22, the start process starts the program in the program memory 22 (step 204). That is, the CPU 1 loads the program from the program memory 22 to the RAM 3 and executes the program. Then, it waits for an update instruction from the user via the input device 7 (step 206).
[0018]
Here, when the user updates the current program (hereinafter referred to as “pre-update program” for convenience) in the program memory 22, the external storage medium storing the new program (hereinafter referred to as “post-update program” for convenience) 5 is attached to the external storage medium interface 4, and an update instruction is issued from the input device 7.
[0019]
In the start-up process, when an update instruction is given (step 206), first, the pre-update program stored in the program memory 22 as shown in FIG. 3A is stored in the external storage medium 5 as shown in FIG. 3B. Copy (backup) is performed (step 208). Next, it checks whether the pre-update program copied to the external storage medium 5 is identical to the copy-source pre-update program on the program memory 22 (step 210). If it is not confirmed that the copying has been performed normally, a message notifying of a copy error is displayed on the display device (step 218). Here, the user who has confirmed the error from this display can start the boot process from the beginning by restarting the electronic device, and at this time, the program memory 22 is set as shown in FIG. Since the contents of the start register have not been changed, the restarted electronic device operates as before.
[0020]
On the other hand, if it is confirmed that the copying has been normally performed, the startup setting of the startup register is changed to the external storage medium 5 (step 214), and the startup setting is stored in the external storage medium 5 as shown in FIG. The pre-update program in the program memory 22 is rewritten with the post-update program (step 216). Then, the electronic device is restarted (step 234).
[0021]
When the electronic device is restarted thereafter, the boot process is executed and operates as described above. This time, however, since the boot setting is the external storage medium 5 as shown in FIG. The process proceeds to step 220 according to the determination in 202, and the pre-update program copied to the external storage medium 5 is started instead of the program on the program memory 22 (step 220). Then, the user receives an operation selection from the user via the input device 7 for one of the following: recopying, starting the updated program, and updating the startup setting (step 222). After the start setting of the start register is changed to the external storage medium 5 in step 214, the pre-update program in the program memory 22 is rewritten in step 216. Therefore, if a failure occurs during rewriting in step 216, However, after the restart, the pre-update program copied to the external storage medium 5 and checked for normality starts without any trouble.
[0022]
By the way, usually, as the first operation selection after the update instruction, the user selects the start of the updated program in order to confirm the normality of the updated program copied to the ROM 2.
In the start-up process, when the start of the updated program is received (step 226), the updated program on the program memory 22 is started (step 228). Then, the user checks the normality of the operation of the activated post-update program, and restarts the electronic device if the normality of the operation of the post-update program or the abnormality is confirmed.
[0023]
Then, when the electronic device is restarted, the startup process is executed and the above-described operation is performed to operate the pre-update program copied to the external storage medium 5. An operation selection of either copy, program start after update, or start setting update is accepted (step 222). That is, even if there is a problem with the post-update program on the program memory 22 that has been operated earlier, the pre-update program copied to the external storage medium 5 returns to the operating state by the restart, and the following re-copying is performed. However, it is possible to perform a process for addressing the problem of the updated program.
[0024]
By the way, if the user has previously confirmed that the operation of the post-update program is abnormal, the user selects the re-copy after the restart.
If re-copying is selected (step 224), in the startup process, the process proceeds to step 208, where the updated program of the external storage medium 5 is written into the ROM 2 again, and the process proceeds to subsequent steps to perform the above-described process. Thus, if the updated program of the external storage medium 5 is not correctly copied to the ROM 2 due to some reason, the update process is performed again from the copy of the updated program of the external storage medium 5 to the ROM 2. Will be able to do it. Further, a program in which a defect of the updated program previously copied to the ROM 2 is corrected is stored in the external storage medium 5, and the program to be the updated program can be switched to the corrected program.
[0025]
On the other hand, if the user has previously confirmed the normality of the operation of the post-update program, the user selects the update of the startup setting. Then, when the startup setting update is selected (step 230), the startup processing proceeds to step 232, where the startup setting of the startup setting register 10 is set in the program memory 22 as shown in FIG. The device is restarted (step 234).
[0026]
Then, after that, since the start setting is the program memory 22, the updated program in the program memory 22 is started in step 204 in the start process according to the determination in step 202.
By the way, in the above description, the boot program stored in the boot program memory 21 which is not normally updated is provided with the function of updating the program in the program memory 22. This updating function is provided in the program itself stored in the program memory 22. You may do it.
[0027]
That is, as shown in FIG. 4A, the startup process by the startup program is configured to perform only the initialization process of steps 200 to 203 and 220 and the startup process of the program according to the startup setting, and the startup process is performed by the startup process. As shown in FIG. 4B, both the pre-update program and the post-update program include a program that performs one of the above-described steps 206 to 218 and 234 or steps 224 to 234 according to the startup setting (step 401). It may be included.
[0028]
Alternatively, a program that provides such an update function is separately stored in the external storage medium 5, and the startup processing is performed when the startup setting is the external storage medium 5 or when a predetermined input is made by the user. It can also be activated.
Further, in step 222 of the above embodiment, program return can be further selected as an operation selection, and when program return is selected, the pre-update program stored in the external storage medium 5 is stored in the program memory. 22, the startup setting may be set in the program memory 22. By doing so, the state can be returned to the state before the start of the update operation as described above, for example, when there is an abnormality in the operation of the post-update program.
[0029]
Further, in the above embodiment, after the update program of the program memory 22 is started in step 228, the operation selection of the start setting update can be accepted without restarting, and the start setting can be changed to the program memory 22. Good.
In addition, the copy destination of the copy of the pre-update program in the program memory 22 performed in step 208 may be a predetermined backup area of the ROM 2 if a sufficient capacity can be secured in the ROM 2.
In addition, by providing the electronic device with a required network communication function, a storage device on a network can be used instead of the external storage medium 5 described above.
The embodiments of the present invention have been described above.
As described above, according to the present embodiment, when the program update process is being performed, the program written in the program memory 22 due to the power-off, a defect in the post-update program, or the removal of the external storage medium 5. Even if a problem occurs, the process for overcoming the problem can be continued without any problem.
[0030]
The present embodiment is not limited to updating a firmware program, but is applicable to updating an arbitrary program.
[0031]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, when a program is updated, occurrence of a failure due to the update can be suppressed.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of an electronic device to be updated according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a startup process according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a procedure for updating a program according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating another example of a processing configuration for updating a program according to the embodiment of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
1: CPU, 2: ROM, 3: RAM, 4: external storage medium interface, 5: external storage medium, 6: input interface, 7: input device, 8: display interface, 10: start setting register, 11: functional unit , 21: start program memory, 22: program memory.

Claims (5)

A program updating method for updating a program stored in a nonvolatile program holding memory of an electronic device,
Copying the program stored in the program holding memory to a backup memory that is a non-volatile memory other than the program holding memory;
Confirming the identity of the program copied to the backup memory and the program stored in the program holding memory;
If the identity can be confirmed, after starting the electronic device, setting to run the program copied to the backup memory instead of the program stored in the program holding memory,
Updating a program stored in the program holding memory to a new program;
When the electronic device is started, when the program copied to the backup memory is set to operate, the electronic device is stored in the backup memory instead of the program stored in the program holding memory. Running the copied program;
After the program copied to the backup memory is operated, in response to a user's instruction, the electronic device operates a new program stored in the program holding memory;
After the electronic device is started in a state where the program copied to the backup memory is set to operate, the electronic device is stored in the program holding memory after the start of the electronic device in response to a user instruction. Setting up a new program to run;
After activating the electronic device in a state where the new program stored in the program holding memory is set to operate, the electronic device executes the new program stored in the program holding memory. Operating the program. The method for updating a program according to claim 1, wherein
After starting the electronic device in a state where the program copied to the backup memory is set to operate, the program stored in the program holding memory is updated to a new program in response to a user instruction. A method for updating a program, comprising the steps of: A method for updating a program according to claim 1 or 2,
After starting the electronic device in a state where the program copied to the backup memory is set to operate, the program copied to the backup memory is stored in the program holding memory in response to a user instruction. Updating a program that has been executed. The method for updating a program according to claim 1, 2, or 3,
The backup memory is a general-purpose storage medium, and updating of a program stored in the program holding memory to a new program is performed by the new program stored in the general-type storage medium. A program updating method performed by updating a program stored in the program holding memory. A computer program read and executed by a computer,
The computer program, in the computer, a program stored in the program holding memory, a step of copying to a backup memory which is a non-volatile memory other than the program holding memory,
Confirming the identity of the program copied to the backup memory and the program stored in the program holding memory;
If the identity can be confirmed, after starting the computer, setting to run the program copied to the backup memory instead of the program stored in the program holding memory,
Updating a program stored in the program holding memory to a new program;
After starting the computer, setting to operate the program copied to the backup memory instead of the program stored in the program holding memory,
When the computer is started, if the program copied to the backup memory is set to operate, the program copied to the backup memory is operated instead of the program stored in the program holding memory. Steps and
After the program copied to the backup memory is operated, in response to a user instruction, a step of operating a new program stored in the program holding memory;
After starting the computer in a state where the program copied to the backup memory is set to operate, a new instruction stored in the program holding memory is stored after the computer is started according to a user instruction. Setting up the program to run;
Running the new program stored in the program holding memory after the computer is started in a state where the new program stored in the program holding memory is set to run. A computer program characterized by causing

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