JP2005231130A - Image forming apparatus and its controlling method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To inexpensively provide an image forming apparatus capable of carrying out rewriting of an executed control program for a plurality of the number of times. <P>SOLUTION: A controlling method in the image forming apparatus which is equipped with a first CPU for carrying out an image processing program stored in a ROM for image processing and a second CPU for carrying out a printing processing program, and which can print inputted image data includes a process of storing the downloaded image processing program and printing processing program in a flash ROM (S404), a process of moving the image processing program stored in the flash ROM to the ROM for image processing (step S405), and a process of transmitting the printing processing program stored in the flash ROM to a DRAM (step S407). The second CPU carries out the printing processing program transmitted to the DRAM. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a technique for changing a control program executed in an image forming apparatus. Here, the image forming apparatus is an apparatus for forming an image on a recording medium using an electrophotographic image forming system. For example, an electrophotographic copying machine, an electrophotographic printer (for example, a laser printer, an LED printer, etc.), a factory device, A word processor or the like is included.

  In general, a mask ROM is used as a control ROM (Read Only Memory) of an image forming apparatus in consideration of mass productivity. Since this mask ROM is not rewritable, if you want to upgrade the control program for reasons such as functional improvement or defect improvement, prepare a printed circuit board with another mask ROM with a new program written on it. It is necessary to replace the printed circuit board itself by a service person.

  However, in order to replace the printed circuit board by the service person in this way, it is necessary to disassemble the image forming apparatus in detail, which is very troublesome. In addition, since a great deal of time is required from disassembly to assembly, there is a problem that the service charge increases.

Therefore, in order to improve these problems, the EPROM (Erasable and Programmable ROM) that can be written multiple times is used, and only the EPROM is replaced without replacing the printed circuit board itself. There is no need to disassemble the image forming apparatus, such as using a flash-type ROM as the ROM for storing the program, or rewriting the control program by downloading from a personal computer when the ROM is upgraded. The method is coming to be taken.
JP-A-9-160767

  However, since the unit price of EPROM or flash ROM is very expensive compared to the unit price of mask ROM, the product price has been increased. In particular, in the case of an image forming apparatus, a CPU that performs image processing for developing image data into bitmap data and a CPU that performs printing processing for forming an image of the developed bitmap data on recording paper are separately provided. The control program processed by each CPU is also stored in a separate ROM.

  For this reason, if it is possible to rewrite each control program by downloading, it is necessary to prepare at least two flash ROMs (for image processing and printing processing), compared with the case where a mask ROM is used. Product price increases will become significant.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide an image forming apparatus capable of rewriting a control program to be executed a plurality of times at a low cost.

In order to achieve the above object, an image forming apparatus according to the present invention has the following configuration. That is,
The image processing apparatus includes a first calculation unit that executes a control program related to image processing stored in a non-volatile storage unit for image processing, and a second calculation unit that executes a control program related to print processing. An image forming apparatus capable of printing,
A non-volatile storage means for storing the downloaded control program for image processing and the control program for print processing;
Control means for storing a control program related to the image processing stored in the non-volatile storage means for storage in the non-volatile storage means for image processing;
A transmission unit that transmits the control program related to the printing process stored in the non-volatile storage unit for storage to the volatile storage unit;
The second calculation means executes a control program related to the printing process transmitted to the volatile storage means.

  According to the present invention, an image forming apparatus capable of rewriting a control program to be executed a plurality of times can be provided at a low cost.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

<Configuration of system including image forming apparatus>
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a system including an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. The host computer 101 and the image forming apparatus 102 are connected by a parallel cable such as a Centronics cable, a serial cable such as a USB cable, an IEEE 1394 cable, or an I / F cable 103 such as a network cable such as a 10 / 100BaseT cable. ing. The user records the desired image on the recording paper by transmitting the character information and the image information displayed on the monitor (not shown) of the host computer via the I / F cable 103 to the image forming apparatus 102. Can do. Note that the host computer 101 and the image forming apparatus 102 may communicate with each other by wireless without using the I / F cable 103.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of the system of FIG. 1 in electrical blocks, and the same components as those in FIG. As described above, the host computer 101 and the image forming apparatus 102 are connected to the I / F cable 103, and the image forming apparatus 102 includes two controllers, an image controller 201 and a printer controller 202, each of which is a video I / F. They are connected by a cable 203. The I / F cable 103 is connected to an input connector (not shown) of the image controller 201, and image data sent from the host computer 101 is converted into bitmap data by the image controller 201, and the video I / F cable 203 is connected. To the printer controller, and an image is formed on the recording paper.

<Configuration of image controller of image forming apparatus>
FIG. 3 is an electrical block diagram showing the configuration of the image controller 201. A CPU 301 controls the image controller 201, 302 is a host I / F for communicating with the host computer 101, and 303 is an image controller and a printer controller that are transmitted from the host computer 101. A flash ROM for storing the control program, 304 a ROM for storing the control program of the image controller 201, 305 a RAM used by the control program of the image controller 201, and 306 image data sent from the host computer 101 307 is a serial I / F for transmitting the image data expanded by the image control unit 306 to the printer controller. Note that the CPU 301, host I / F 302, flash ROM 303, ROM 304, RAM 305, image control unit 306, and serial I / F 307 are connected by a data bus 308.

<Change of control program in image controller of image forming apparatus>
The processing of the image controller 201 when the image forming apparatus 102 is powered on will be described below with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

  Immediately after the power is turned on, it is determined in step S401 whether the first command transmitted from the host computer 101 is version information. If the first transmitted command is not version information, it is determined that the control program has not been downloaded from the host computer 101, and this routine is exited. If the determination in step S401 is No, that is, if the first command immediately after power activation is version information, the process proceeds to step S402, where the control program stored in the flash ROM 303 and the transmitted control program are updated. The version information is compared, and if the version information matches (Yes in step S402), there is no need for downloading, and the routine is exited.

  On the other hand, if the determination in step S402 is No, that is, if the version information of the control program stored in the flash ROM 303 is different from the version information of the control program transmitted from the host computer 101, the process proceeds to step S403. The host computer 101 is notified that the versions are different, and enters a download standby state. In step S404, the process waits until the download of the control program from the host computer 101 is completed, and the downloaded control program is stored in the flash ROM 303. At this time, the flash ROM 303 stores two control programs for the image controller 201 and the printer controller 202.

  After the download is completed and the two control programs are stored in the flash ROM 303 (Yes in step S404), the process proceeds to step S405. Only the control program is stored in the ROM 304, and the CPU 301 performs image control using the control program stored here.

  In step S <b> 406, the CPU 301 determines whether the printer controller 202 can receive the control program for the printer controller 202 stored in the flash ROM 303 in order to transmit the control program to the printer controller 202 via the serial I / F 307. When the printer controller 202 becomes receivable (Yes in step S406), the CPU 301 transmits the control program for the printer controller 202 stored in the flash ROM 303 to the printer controller 202 via the serial I / F 307 (step S407).

<Configuration of Printer Controller of Image Forming Apparatus>
FIG. 5 is an electrical block diagram showing the configuration of the printer controller 203. A control unit 501 controls the printer controller 203 and is configured by a mask ROM. The control unit 501 includes a CPU 502, a ROM 503, a DRAM 504, an oscillation circuit 505, each I / O port 506, a reset circuit 507, and an A / D converter. 508 and the like, each connected via a data bus 509. Each I / O port 506 and A / D converter 508 are connected to a paper transport unit 510, a high voltage circuit unit 511, an optical unit 512, a sensor input unit 513, and a fixing device 514. The operation of each block configured as described above will be described with reference to the hardware configuration diagram of FIG.

<Hardware configuration of image forming apparatus and printing process by printer controller>
FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. Reference numeral 601 denotes a photosensitive drum as an electrostatic latent image carrier. A charging roller 602 that uniformly charges the surface of the photosensitive drum 601 by the high-voltage circuit unit 511 is in contact with the surface of the photosensitive drum 601. A light beam 603 is irradiated on the charged surface downstream of the contact position of the charging roller 602 in the rotation direction of the photosensitive drum 601 by the optical unit 512. The optical unit 512 includes a semiconductor laser 604 that emits a light beam 603, a collimator lens 605 that polarizes the semiconductor laser into parallel light, a polygon mirror 606 that scans the surface of the photosensitive drum 601, and a light beam. 603 is formed from an optical lens 607 that adjusts so as to form a spot on the surface of the photosensitive drum 601, and the polygon mirror 606 is controlled at a constant speed by a scanner motor 608.

  Further, an electrostatic latent image is formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 601 by irradiating the light beam 603 based on the bitmap data transmitted from the image controller 201. The electrostatic latent image is developed as a toner image by a developing device 609 disposed so as to be in contact with the photosensitive drum 601 further downstream in the rotation direction of the photosensitive drum 601 than the irradiation position of the light beam 603. This toner image is transferred onto the recording paper P, which is a transfer material, by a transfer roller 610 disposed below the photosensitive drum 601 so as to face the photosensitive drum 601. The recording paper P is stored in a recording paper cassette 611 in front of the photosensitive drum 601 (right side in FIG. 6). A paper feed roller 612 is disposed at the end of the recording paper cassette 611. When a print instruction is transmitted from the image controller 201 to the print controller 202 without any failure or error, the control unit 501 is a paper transport unit. In 510, the recording paper P in the recording paper cassette 611 is fed into the conveyance path.

  A registration roller 613 is provided in the conveyance path between the paper feed roller 612 and the transfer roller 610 to correct the skew of the recording paper P and to synchronize the image formation on the photosensitive drum 601 and the recording paper conveyance. Therefore, the recording paper P is fed to the transfer position described above at a predetermined timing. A registration paper presence / absence detection sensor 614 is provided between the registration roller 613 and the paper feed roller 612 so as to detect the presence / absence of the recording paper P.

  As described above, the recording paper P to which the unfixed toner image has been transferred is further conveyed to the fixing device 514 at the rear of the photosensitive drum 601 (left side in FIG. 6). The fixing device 514 includes a fixing roller 615 having a halogen heater or a ceramic heater (not shown) inside, and a pressure roller 616 disposed so as to be in pressure contact with the fixing roller 615, and is conveyed from the transfer unit. The recording paper P thus formed is heated while being pressed at the pressure contact portion between the fixing roller 615 and the pressure roller 616, whereby the unfixed toner image on the recording paper P is fixed. A discharge paper presence / absence detection sensor 617 for confirming that the recording paper P is discharged from the press contact portion is disposed behind the press contact portion. Further, a paper discharge roller 618 is disposed behind the paper discharge presence / absence detection sensor 617, and discharges the fixed recording paper P to a discharge unit (not shown).

<Change of control program in printer controller of image forming apparatus>
Next, how to change the control program of the printer controller 202 in the configuration described above will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

  Immediately after the power is turned on, the CPU 502 starts the program stored in the ROM 503 in step S701. Here, the ROM 503 stores in advance only a serial communication program for allowing the image controller 201 and the printer controller 202 to communicate with each other. In step S702, when the CPU 502 enters a state where serial communication is possible, the CPU 502 notifies the image controller 201 that serial communication is possible and enters a control program download standby state. The control program is transmitted from the image controller 201 when the CPU 502 notifies the serial communication enabled state, and the CPU 502 waits until the download is completed in step S703.

  When the command is not transmitted from the image controller for a predetermined period, when the transmission data is the same for a predetermined bit, or when the CPU 502 determines that the download from the image controller 201 is completed by another determination method (Yes in step S703) In step S704, the image controller is notified that the download of the control program has been completed. Next, in step S705, the CPU 502 switches the activation of the control program from the ROM 503 to the DRAM 504 storing the control program, and activates the control program. In step S706, a series of control of the image forming process is performed.

  As is clear from the above description, according to the configuration of the image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment, it is possible to rewrite the executed control program a plurality of times.

  Specifically, immediately after the image forming apparatus is turned on, the image controller checks the version information transmitted from the host computer. If the transmitted version information is different, the image controller uses a control program for the image controller and the printer controller. The control program is downloaded.

  Furthermore, the downloaded control program is temporarily stored in the internal flash ROM, and the image controller control program is moved to the internal ROM, and the printer controller control program is transferred to the printer controller. . The printer controller starts the serial communication program stored in the ROM immediately after the power is turned on, stores the control program from the printer controller in the DRAM, and switches to start the control program from the DRAM after the download is completed. To control.

  As a result, it is not necessary to store the printer controller control program using an expensive EEPROM or flash ROM (that is, at least two EEPROMs (or flash ROMs) are originally used for the image controller and the printer controller. When necessary, since an EEPROM (or flash ROM) for the printer controller is no longer necessary), an increase in cost can be suppressed as much as possible in providing the image forming apparatus.

<Other embodiments>
Note that the present invention can be applied to a system including a plurality of devices (for example, a host computer, an interface device, a reader, and a printer), and a device (for example, a copying machine and a facsimile device) including a single device. You may apply to.

  Another object of the present invention is to supply a storage medium storing software program codes for implementing the functions of the above-described embodiments to a system or apparatus, and the computer (or CPU or MPU) of the system or apparatus stores the storage medium. Needless to say, this can also be achieved by reading and executing the program code stored in.

  In this case, the program code itself read from the storage medium realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments, and the storage medium storing the program code constitutes the present invention.

  As a storage medium for supplying the program code, for example, a floppy (registered trademark) disk, hard disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, CD-ROM, CD-R, magnetic tape, nonvolatile memory card, ROM, or the like is used. be able to.

  Further, by executing the program code read by the computer, not only the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized, but also an OS (operating system) operating on the computer based on the instruction of the program code. It goes without saying that a case where the function of the above-described embodiment is realized by performing part or all of the actual processing and the processing is included.

  Further, after the program code read from the storage medium is written into a memory provided in a function expansion board inserted into the computer or a function expansion unit connected to the computer, the function expansion is performed based on the instruction of the program code. It goes without saying that the CPU or the like provided in the board or the function expansion unit performs part or all of the actual processing, and the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized by the processing.

1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a system including an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is an electrical block diagram of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a block diagram of an image controller constituting an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 4 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of an image controller that constitutes the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a block diagram of a printer controller constituting an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a hardware configuration diagram of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 6 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of a printer controller that constitutes the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present disclosure.

Claims (5)

The image processing apparatus includes a first calculation unit that executes a control program related to image processing stored in a non-volatile storage unit for image processing, and a second calculation unit that executes a control program related to print processing. An image forming apparatus capable of printing,
A non-volatile storage means for storing the downloaded control program for image processing and the control program for print processing;
Control means for storing a control program related to the image processing stored in the non-volatile storage means for storage in the non-volatile storage means for image processing;
A transmission unit that transmits the control program related to the printing process stored in the non-volatile storage unit for storage to the volatile storage unit;
The image forming apparatus, wherein the second calculation unit executes a control program related to the printing process transmitted to the volatile storage unit. Whether to download the control program related to image processing and the control program related to print processing based on version information of the control program related to image processing and the control program related to print processing stored in the non-volatile storage means for storage The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the determination is made. The transmission unit transmits a control program related to the printing process stored in the storage nonvolatile storage unit to the volatile storage unit every time the power source of the image forming apparatus is activated. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the non-volatile storage means for storage is a flash ROM, and the volatile storage means is a DRAM. The image processing apparatus includes a first calculation unit that executes a control program related to image processing stored in a non-volatile storage unit for image processing, and a second calculation unit that executes a control program related to print processing. A control method in a printable image forming apparatus comprising:
Storing the downloaded control program for image processing and the control program for print processing in a nonvolatile storage means for storage;
Storing the control program relating to the image processing stored in the non-volatile storage means for storage in the non-volatile storage means for image processing;
A step of transmitting a control program related to the printing process stored in the non-volatile storage means for storage to the volatile storage means,
The control method according to claim 2, wherein the second calculation unit executes a control program related to the printing process transmitted to the volatile storage unit.

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