JP2004126876A - Method for downloading program and electronic apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method for downloading a program by which malfunction when forcedly downloading a program is prevented, and to provide an electronic apparatus using the method. <P>SOLUTION: The method for downloading the program comprises: a step 104 for storing identification information indicating forced program download instructions in a nonvolatile storage device when the forced program download is instructed; a step 109 for informing an operator of that whether the electronic instrument is made to continuously operate or not when the identification information is stored after program download; and steps 110, 106 and 112 for continuously operating the electronic apparatus when the operator instructs continuous operation and suspending the operation of the electronic apparatus when the operator instructs the suspension of the continuous operation. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method for downloading a program to a rewritable nonvolatile storage device such as a flash memory, and an electronic apparatus having a download function.
[0002]
[Prior art]
There is a download method for checking whether a program to be downloaded to an electronic device is a program compatible with the electronic device at the time of downloading, and not downloading a program that is not suitable. In addition, when a program is downloaded for the first time in an initial state in which the program has not been downloaded to the electronic device, a download method for executing the download without performing the above-described determination is known (for example, see Patent Document 1).
[0003]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-11-15668
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
If the download is performed without checking whether or not the electronic device is compatible with the conventional download method, a program that is not compatible with the electronic device may be downloaded. In addition, when a program that is not compatible with the electronic device is dared to be downloaded in case of a function change of the model, etc. May be downloaded. In this specification, downloading a program without checking whether or not it is compatible with an electronic device is referred to as forced download in this specification.
Conventionally, there has been a problem that the electronic device malfunctions when forcibly downloaded.
[0005]
The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a program download method and an electronic device which can prevent a malfunction when forcibly downloaded.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
SUMMARY An advantage of some aspects of the invention is to provide a program download method for downloading a program for controlling the operation of an electronic device to a rewritable nonvolatile storage device of the electronic device. When the forced download is instructed, the identification information indicating the instruction is stored in the nonvolatile storage device, and after the program is downloaded, it is determined whether the identification information is stored in the nonvolatile storage device, and the identification information is stored. If so, the operator is notified of whether or not to continue operating the electronic device. If the operator instructs to continue the operation, the electronic device is continuously operated, and the operator is continuously operated. If you are instructed to stop the operation, download the program to stop the operation of the electronic device and Those were.
[0007]
With this configuration, the operator has a chance to check whether or not to operate the electronic device with the program that has been forcibly downloaded, so that malfunction of the electronic device can be reduced.
[0008]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the present embodiment, a facsimile apparatus will be described as an example of an electronic apparatus.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a facsimile apparatus according to the present embodiment. The facsimile machine has a CPU 1 for controlling the entire facsimile machine. The CPU 1 is connected via a bus line 2 composed of an address bus and a data bus to a flash ROM 3 for storing a program which is a basic operation of the facsimile apparatus and a RAM 4 for storing image information and the like. .
[0009]
Further, a scanner 5 which is a reading unit for reading an image of a document, a printer 6 for printing received image information, a display unit 7 for displaying various messages and an input facsimile number, etc. Various keys such as a numeric keypad used to enter the facsimile number of the transmission destination, a numeric key used to enter whether to download forcibly at the time of download, and an execution key used to confirm various operations An operation unit 8 including a modem 9 for modulating image information and a command given from the CPU 1, and a line control unit 11 for controlling reception of a signal from the line network 10 and transmission of a signal to the line network 10. It is connected. Further, a download ROM 12 storing a program to be downloaded is detachably connectable.
[0010]
FIG. 2 is a memory configuration diagram of the flash ROM 3 of the facsimile machine. The flash ROM 3 is a nonvolatile memory. The flash ROM 3 includes an execution program area 31 for storing a program downloaded from the download ROM 12, a model data area 32 indicating a model to which the downloaded program conforms, and a compulsory flag for storing a compulsory flag indicating a forced download. It is composed of an area 33 and the like. In the model data area 32, model data attached to the downloaded program is stored at the time of downloading. In the compulsory flag area 33, 1 is set as a compulsory flag when the download is executed without checking the model data.
[0011]
FIG. 3 is a memory configuration diagram of the download ROM 12. The download ROM 12 includes a download program area 121 storing a program to be downloaded, a model data area 122 storing model data indicating a model to which the program stored in the download program area 121 is applied, and the like. I have.
[0012]
FIG. 4 is a flowchart of the facsimile apparatus according to the present embodiment. In the present embodiment, it is assumed that the following operation procedure is determined.
When a power switch (not shown) is turned on with the download ROM 12 mounted, a message is displayed on the display unit asking whether or not to execute forced download. When the forced download is performed, the user operates the button 1 of the numeric keypad, and when the download is not performed, the user operates the button 2 to operate the execution key. If the power switch is turned on without the download ROM 12, if the forced download is executed immediately before the power is turned on, the model data is displayed and an inquiry is made as to whether the facsimile apparatus can be started as it is. Display a message. If it is OK to start the operation, the user operates the button 1 of the numeric keypad, and if there is a problem to start the operation, the user operates the button 2 to operate the execution key.
[0013]
When the power is turned on, it is checked in step 101 whether the download ROM 12 is mounted. If the download ROM 12 is installed, a message as to whether or not to execute forced download is displayed in step 102, and if it is detected that the operator has operated the button 10 on the numeric keypad, the download is normal. In step 103, the model data in the model data area 32 of the flash ROM 3 is compared with the model data in the model data area 122 of the download ROM 12. If the data match, the program to be downloaded is a program suitable for the facsimile machine, and the download is executed in step 105. Upgrading of the program is performed in this way.
[0014]
On the other hand, if the model data does not match, the program to be downloaded is a program that is not compatible with the facsimile machine, so that download is not performed and error processing such as displaying an error message is performed.
If it is detected in step 102 that the operator has operated the button 10 on the numeric keypad, it is instructed to execute the forced download. Is set to 1 and the program in the download program area is downloaded to the execution program area 31 in step 105, and the model data in the model data area 122 of the download ROM 12 is stored in the model data area 32 of the flash ROM 3. I do. At step 107, a message for instructing the operator to turn off the power is displayed.
[0015]
On the other hand, when it is determined in step 101 that the download ROM 12 is not mounted, it is determined in step 108 whether data 1 indicating that the forced download has been executed is stored in the forced flag area 33. If the data 1 indicating that the forced download has been executed is not stored, a normal start-up process is executed in step 112. If the data 11 indicating that the forced download has been executed is stored, it indicates that the immediately preceding download process was a forced download, so that the model data in the model data area 32 of the flash ROM 3 is In addition to the display, a message as to whether or not the start-up process can be performed is displayed.
[0016]
If the user operates the ten-key button 1, the start-up process proceeds. If the ten-key button 2 is operated, the start-up process is stopped.
If the button 10 on the numeric keypad is operated, the start-up process proceeds. Therefore, in step 111, the data 1 indicating that the forced download stored in the forced flag area 33 has been executed has not been executed. By setting the data indicating this to 0, the compulsory flag area 33 is cleared, and a normal start-up process is executed in step 112. If it is detected in step 110 that the second button of the numeric keypad has been operated, an error processing is executed in step 106 because it is an instruction to stop the normal startup processing. This is, for example, assuming that a different model is obtained by replacing the peripheral device such as the printer 6 and the scanner 5, but a program of another model is downloaded, but before the replacement of the peripheral device is completed, This is the case when the power is turned on. Since the replacement of the peripheral device has not been completed, the operator stops the startup process.
[0017]
As described above, only when forced download is performed, the next time the power is turned on, the model data is displayed and it is checked whether or not to continue the startup process. Processing can be stopped, and malfunction can be prevented.
Further, only when the forced download is executed, it is possible to select whether or not to cancel the start-up process, so that the operator does not need to repeat the same operation every time the start-up is performed, and there is no complexity.
[0018]
Note that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. For example, in the above-described embodiment, a facsimile apparatus has been described. However, the present invention may be applied to a multifunction peripheral having a printer function or the like, a personal computer, or general electronic equipment.
Further, the download is performed from the download ROM 12, but the download may be performed from a server or the like.
In addition, although it is checked whether or not the forced download is performed when the power is turned on, it is also possible to check not when the power is turned on but at a timing when the system is reset and started up there.
Furthermore, although 1 has been described as data indicating that forced download has been performed, other data may be used as data.
In addition, various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.
[0019]
【The invention's effect】
Since the operator has a chance to check whether or not to operate the electronic device using the program that has been forcibly downloaded, malfunctions of the electronic device can be reduced.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a facsimile apparatus according to the present embodiment.
FIG. 2 is a memory configuration diagram of a flash ROM in the embodiment.
FIG. 3 is a memory configuration diagram of a download ROM according to the embodiment;
FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing processing when the power of the facsimile apparatus in the embodiment is turned on.
[Explanation of symbols]
3 Flash ROM
12 ROM for download
32 Model data area of flash ROM 33 Force flag area 122 Model data area of download ROM

Claims (5)

In a program download method for downloading a program or the like for controlling the operation of the electronic device to a rewritable nonvolatile storage device of the electronic device,
When the forced download of the program is instructed, the identification information indicating the instruction is stored in the nonvolatile storage device,
Determine whether the identification information is stored in the nonvolatile storage device after downloading the program,
If the identification information is stored, inform the operator whether to continue operating the electronic device,
When the operator instructs to continue operation, the electronic device is continuously operated,
A program download method for stopping the operation of an electronic device when an instruction to stop continuous operation is given by an operator. 2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of: determining whether a program to be downloaded is compatible with the electronic device when downloading the program; 2. The program downloading method according to claim 1, wherein the timing of determining whether the identification information is stored in the nonvolatile storage device after downloading the program is when the power is turned on after downloading. In an electronic device having a rewritable nonvolatile storage device and downloading a program or the like to the nonvolatile storage device,
Means for instructing a forced download of the program,
Means for storing, in the nonvolatile storage device, identification information indicating that the instruction means has been operated;
Means for determining whether the identification information is stored in the nonvolatile storage device after downloading the program,
Means for notifying an operator whether to continue operating the electronic device when it is determined that the identification information is stored,
Means for inputting instruction data as to whether or not to continue operation;
The electronic apparatus further includes a control unit configured to continuously operate the electronic device when instruction data to continuously operate is input, and to stop operation of the electronic device when instruction data not to continuously operate is input. Electronics. 5. The electronic apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the notification means displays a message on a display.

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