JP2005193414A - Combination machine - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a combination machine whereby data transmission and reception of firmware via a network can be carried out simply, and the internal firmware can be rewritten easily. <P>SOLUTION: In the case where an identifier (host name and file name) stored in an identifier storage part 10 agrees with an identifier (host name and file name) included in data from a PC 30, a control program of each of a ROM 7 of a body, a flash ROM 3a for the printer, a flash ROM 13a for NIC is rewritten with the use of data of the firmware from the PC 30 via a LAN 50. After the rewriting process of the firmware is finished, the identifier stored in the identifier storage part 10 is deleted. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a multifunction device (facsimile multifunction device) having both a facsimile function, a copy function, and a printer function, and more particularly to a multifunction device in which internal firmware is rewritten in accordance with data from an external device connected to a network. It is.

In addition to the original facsimile function and copy function, it is connected to an external information creation device such as a personal computer (hereinafter referred to as PC) via a network such as a LAN (Local Area Network) or the Internet. 2. Description of the Related Art A function composite type facsimile apparatus (multifunction machine) having a transmission function for transmitting data sent from a printer to another facsimile apparatus and a printer function for printing out the data has been developed. Firmware data is transmitted from an external device such as a PC to the electronic device connected to the network, such as a multifunction device, via the network, and the flash ROM, NIC (Network The internal firmware (program data) such as the flash ROM in the Interface Card section is rewritten. (For example, refer to Patent Documents 1 and 2).
JP 2002-196933 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-2222068

  Conventionally, HTTP (HyperText Transfer Protocol) is generally used for such firmware data transmission. However, HTTP data transmission has problems such as a complicated data transmission / reception mechanism and a low data reception speed, and it is desired to develop a simpler firmware rewriting process method via a network. .

  The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a multifunction device that can easily transmit and receive firmware data and can easily rewrite internal firmware in accordance with data via a network. To do.

  Another object of the present invention is to provide a multifunction device capable of preventing unauthorized rewriting of firmware via a network.

  A multi-function device according to claim 1 is a multi-function device that receives firmware data from an external device connected via a network and rewrites internal firmware in accordance with the received data. Means for determining whether or not the identifier included in the data received from the external device and the identifier stored in the storage means match, and the data received from the external device when the two identifiers match. And rewriting means for rewriting the internal firmware accordingly.

  In claim 1, a predetermined identifier is stored in advance, and it is determined whether or not the identifier included in the data sent from the external device via the network matches the stored identifier. If both identifiers match, the internal firmware is rewritten according to the data received from the external device. Therefore, the internal firmware can be easily rewritten according to data from the external device via the network.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a multi-function device according to the first aspect, wherein the multi-function peripheral is stored in the storage means when the rewriting process is completed, and when the rewriting process is completed. Means for deleting the identifier.

  According to the second aspect, the stored identifier is deleted after the internal firmware rewriting process according to the data from the external device via the network is completed. Therefore, the subsequent rewriting process cannot be performed, and the rewriting process due to unauthorized access is not performed.

  A multifunction device according to a third aspect is characterized in that, in the first or second aspect, the firmware data transmitted using the LPR protocol is received.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, an LPR (Laser Printer) protocol generally used for transmitting image data is used for transmitting firmware data. Therefore, data can be transmitted and received with a simple configuration and the data reception speed is faster than when HTTP is used.

  In the present invention, when an identifier included in data transmitted from an external device via a network matches a predetermined identifier stored in advance, the internal firmware is rewritten according to the data received from the external device. Thus, the internal firmware can be easily rewritten according to the data from the external device via the network.

  In the present invention, since the stored identifier is deleted after the internal firmware rewriting process is completed, the subsequent rewriting process cannot be performed and the rewriting process due to unauthorized access is prevented. be able to.

  Furthermore, in the present invention, since the LPR protocol is used for transmitting firmware data, data can be transmitted and received with a simple configuration, the data reception speed can be increased, and the time required for the rewriting process can be reduced. Shortening can be achieved.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings showing embodiments thereof. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a multifunction machine (facsimile multifunction apparatus) 20 according to the present invention.

  The multifunction machine 20 includes a control unit 1, a reading unit 2, a recording unit 3, a display unit 4, an operation unit 5, an encoding / decoding unit 6, a ROM 7, a RAM 8, an image memory 9, an identifier storage unit 10, a modem 11, and an NCU. (Network Control Unit) 12, NIC unit 13, and the like. The multi-function device 20 receives a reading function for reading an original by the reading unit 2 to obtain image data, read image data, image data received by facsimile communication, or a PC 30 as an external device via a LAN 50 as a network. The recording unit 3 has a recording function for recording an image corresponding to the image data, and a transmission function for transmitting the read image data or the received image data by facsimile or network transmission.

  The control unit 1 is specifically composed of a CPU, and is connected to the above-described hardware units of the multifunction machine 20 via the bus 14 to control them and control stored in the ROM 7. Various software functions are executed according to the program. The reading unit 2 reads an original with an optical system using, for example, a CCD, and outputs the read image data. The recording unit 3 is an electrophotographic printer device, and is an image corresponding to image data of a document read by the reading unit 2, image data received by facsimile communication, image data sent from an external PC 30, and the like. On the paper. The recording unit 3 includes a printer flash ROM 3a that stores a control program for recording processing, and print processing is performed according to the control program stored in the flash ROM 3a.

  The display unit 4 is a display device such as a liquid crystal display device or a CRT display. The display unit 4 displays an operation state of the multifunction machine 20, displays a screen for prompting the user to input an operation or a screen for issuing a warning to the user, and transmits the screen. The image data of the original read as much as possible and the image data transmitted from another facsimile machine or the PC 30 are displayed. The operation unit 5 includes character keys, numeric keys, abbreviated dial keys, one-touch dial keys, various function keys, and the like necessary for operating the multifunction machine 20. A predetermined identifier (host name, file name) is registered using the operation unit 5. In addition, it is also possible to substitute a part or all of the various keys of the operation unit 5 by using the display unit 4 as a touch panel system.

  The encoding / decoding unit 6 encodes and compresses image data and also decodes the encoded and compressed image data. The ROM 7 is a flash memory, and stores various software control programs necessary for the operation of the facsimile multifunction peripheral 20. The RAM 8 stores temporary data generated when the software is executed. The image memory 9 is constituted by a DRAM or the like, and stores image data obtained by reading and encoding a document, image data received from another facsimile apparatus or the PC 30, and encoded. The image memory 9 temporarily stores rewrite firmware data received from the external PC 30. The identifier storage unit 10 stores a predetermined identifier (host name, file name) and functions as a storage unit. The predetermined identifier registered by using the operation unit 5 may be stored in the identifier storage unit 10 or may be stored in advance in the identifier storage unit 10 at the manufacturing stage of the multifunction machine 20. Anyway.

  The modem 11 is connected to the bus 14 and is composed of a facsimile modem capable of facsimile communication. Similarly, the modem 11 is directly connected to the NCU 12 connected to the bus 14. The NCU 12 is hardware that performs operations for closing and opening the line 40 with a public switched telephone network (PSTN), and connects the modem 11 to the PSTN as necessary. The multi-function device 20 is connected to another facsimile machine by the PSTN so that normal facsimile communication can be performed.

  The NIC unit 13 is connected to an external PC 30 via the LAN 50, and exchanges data with the PC 30. The NIC unit 13 performs transmission / reception processing of a communication protocol, data analysis processing and data creation processing on the communication protocol, and the like. The NIC unit 13 has a flash ROM 13a for NIC storing control programs for such various processes, and these processes are performed according to the control program stored in the flash ROM 13a.

In the MFP 20 of the present invention, firmware data of the ROM 7 of the main body, the flash ROM 3a for the printer, and the flash ROM 13a for the NIC are received from the external PC 30 via the LAN 50, and the ROM 7 and the flash ROM 3a according to the data. The control program stored in the flash ROM 13a is rewritten.
At this time, it is determined whether or not the identifier stored in the identifier storage unit 10 and the identifier included in the data from the PC 30 match. Only when they match, the firmware data from the PC 30 is used. The control programs of the ROM 7, the flash ROM 3a, and the flash ROM 13a are rewritten. If they do not match, the rewriting process is not performed. Therefore, in the present invention, a valid rewrite process can be easily performed.

  Then, after the rewriting process is completed, the identifier stored in the identifier storage unit 10 is deleted. Therefore, subsequent unauthorized rewrite processing is prevented.

  At the time of data transmission / reception of such firmware (control program), an LPR protocol used for transmission / reception of image data with the PC 30 is used. The LPR protocol is composed of a control signal and main body data. In the present invention, this control signal is used for an identifier (host name, file name), and the main body data is used for specific firmware data to be rewritten. .

  The operation will be described below. 2 and 3 are flowcharts showing an example of an operation procedure in the multifunction machine 20 of the present invention.

  First, an identifier registration process performed in advance on the MFP 20 side will be described with reference to a flowchart of FIG. 2 showing an example of the operation procedure. A predetermined identifier is input using the operation unit 5 of the multifunction device 20, and the input identifier is registered (step S1). Specifically, the host name (name of the PC 30 instructing rewriting of firmware) and the file name (name of the file storing firmware data) are registered as identifiers. The registered identifier (host name, file name) is stored in the identifier storage unit 10 (step S2).

  Next, the rewriting process of the control program (firmware) according to the data from the PC 30 via the LAN 50 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 3 showing an example of the operation procedure. The control unit 1 determines whether or not the NIC unit 13 has received a packet from the PC 30 (step S11), and if not received (S11: NO), continues to monitor the reception. When the packet is received (S11: YES), the control unit 1 determines whether or not an LPR protocol control signal has been received (step S12). When the control signal is not received (S12: NO), since the transmitted data is image data for recording, the image data is received and the recording unit 3 executes printout processing on the paper (step S21), the operation ends.

When the control signal is received (S12: YES), the control unit 1 determines whether an identifier (host name, file name) is included in the received control signal (step S13).
If it is not included (S13: NO), since the data to be transmitted is image data for recording, the image data is received and the recording unit 3 executes printout processing on the paper (S21). The operation ends.

  When the identifier (host name, file name) is included in the control signal (S13: YES), the control unit 1 is registered with the identifier (host name, file name) included in the control signal. It is determined whether or not the identifier (host name, file name) stored in the identifier storage unit 10 matches (step S14). If they do not match (S14: NO), error information is displayed on the display unit 4 (step S20), and the operation ends.

  If both identifiers match (S14: YES), the NIC unit 13 receives the firmware data, which is the main body data sent from the PC 30 after the control signal (step S15), and the received firmware data is temporarily stored. The image is stored in the image memory 9 (step S16). Then, the firmware data stored in the image memory 9 is read, and the control program of the target flash ROM in the ROM 7, flash ROM 3a, and flash ROM 13a is rewritten using the read data (step S17).

  The control unit 1 determines whether or not the rewriting process has been completed (step S18). If the rewriting process has not been completed (S18: NO), the rewriting process is continued (S17). When the rewriting process is finished (S18: YES), the identifier (host name, file name) stored in the identifier storage unit 10 is deleted (step S19), and the operation is finished. In the present invention, since the registered identifier (host name, file name) is deleted when the rewriting process of the control program of the flash ROM is completed in this way, erroneous or illegal rewriting can be prevented.

  In the above-described embodiment, a predetermined identifier (host name, file name) is registered using the operation unit 5. However, unlike the above, a predetermined identifier is previously prepared in the manufacturing stage of the multifunction machine 20. (Host name, file name) is stored in the identifier storage unit 10, and the stored identifier (host name, file name) matches the identifier (host name, file name) transmitted from the PC 30. You may make it confirm. Further, only the file name may be used as the identifier. In this case, “.ROM” in the LPR protocol is stored in the identifier storage unit 10 as an identifier, and the file data with the “.ROM” is easily recognized as image rewrite data without image data. You may make it do.

  In the above-described example, the case where the control program of the main body ROM 7, the printer flash ROM 3a, and the NIC flash ROM 13a is rewritten has been described. However, the present invention is also applicable to the case where firmware incorporated in other hardware is rewritten. Of course, the same applies.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a multifunction machine according to the present invention. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of an operation procedure of an identifier registration process in the MFP according to the present invention. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of an operation procedure of firmware (control program) rewriting processing in the multifunction peripheral according to the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

1 Control unit 3 Recording unit 3a Flash ROM
7 ROM
9 Image memory 10 Identifier storage unit (storage means)
13 NIC unit 13a Flash ROM
20 MFP 30 PC (external device)
50 LAN (network)

Claims (3)

  In a multi-function peripheral that receives firmware data from an external device connected via a network and rewrites the internal firmware in accordance with the received data, the storage unit stores an identifier, and is included in the data received from the external device Means for determining whether or not the identifier and the identifier stored in the storage means match, and rewriting means for rewriting internal firmware in accordance with data received from the external device when the two identifiers match And a multi-function machine.   A means for judging whether or not the rewriting process of the firmware in the rewriting means is completed; and a means for deleting the identifier stored in the storage means when the rewriting process is completed. The multifunction device according to claim 1. 3. The multifunction device according to claim 1, wherein the firmware data transmitted using the LPR protocol is received.

Images