JP2008046905A - Method for selecting option program and apparatus for the method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an option program selection method enabling a user to optionally select an operation control program in an apparatus for performing operation control by a loaded microcomputer and a program, and an apparatus capable of executing the method. <P>SOLUTION: The apparatus comprises a microcomputer, a storage means for storing a plurality of operation controlling programs which can be executed by the microcomputer, an operation inhibition means for inhibiting the operation of only a specific program out of the plurality of operation controlling programs, an input means for inputting release instruction information to the operation inhibition means, an analysis means for analyzing the input release instruction information, and a release means for releasing the operation inhibition of the specific program whose operation is inhibited by the analyzed release instruction information. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a method for selecting an option program that allows a user to arbitrarily select an operation control program in an apparatus that performs operation control using a built-in microcomputer and program, and an apparatus capable of executing the method. .

  Many devices are known that are equipped with a microcomputer and whose operation is controlled by the microcomputer program. In these devices, various operations necessary to achieve a predetermined purpose are controlled by a program (basic program) for controlling basic functions and a program (option program) for controlling extended functions. For example, a digital camera, which is an apparatus for recording images, performs basic operation control such as control of operations related to shooting, and control of operations for recording captured images as files in a recording device, using a basic program. Further, an extended function such as a communication function or a transfer function for transferring an image file recorded in the recording device to another external device is controlled by an option program.

  In the digital camera, there are various methods for a predetermined procedure (protocol) applied when performing operation control for transferring a predetermined image file by connecting to an external device via a communication cable or the like. Since the characteristics differ depending on each connection operation method, the user selects a method suitable for his / her usage mode. Therefore, it is desirable that the apparatus can select an operation method. However, if an operation method is installed in accordance with the needs of individual users, the manufacturing cost increases. Therefore, it is necessary to install an optional program for controlling each operation method in the apparatus, ignoring the necessity of use.

  In order to transfer an image file, USB (Universal Serial Bus) is generally used as a method for connecting a digital camera to an external device. One of the operation methods (communication protocols) that can perform image transfer, camera control, and the like by USB is PTP (Picture Transfer Protocol). PTP can perform camera control (release, setting of shooting conditions, etc.) from a personal computer. In addition to PTP, there is a USB mass storage class. The USB mass storage class can handle a digital camera as an external storage device (external drive such as a card reader) of an external device. However, the digital camera cannot be controlled from the external device side. As described above, there are a plurality of operation methods when the digital camera is connected to the external device.

  The above two operation methods have different programs for performing operation control. Therefore, in a digital camera equipped with both operation methods, the user uses the operation method after switching the operation method to be used. That is, when one operation method is used, other operation methods cannot be used at the same time. Therefore, even if an option program corresponding to two operation methods is installed, the operation method used by the user is 1 One. Since it is difficult to determine in advance which operation method the user desires, it is necessary to install a plurality of option programs in advance. Thus, as the number of installed program modules increases, the manufacturing cost naturally increases.

  In order to avoid installing unnecessary program modules, there is a method of additionally installing a program module for controlling a necessary operation method according to a purchaser's request after purchasing the apparatus. However, such an additional mounting method often requires time to start using since it is necessary to perform an additional operation using a dedicated device or the like.

  Therefore, an invention is known in which a plurality of program modules are stored in advance in a storage unit of the apparatus without using a dedicated apparatus, and the option program module can be operated by a user inputting a use license information file. (For example, refer to Patent Document 1).

JP 2004-213469 A

  The above invention permits the operation of the installed optional program module according to the input usage license information. Therefore, it is necessary to provide a means for inputting the use license file. This means for inputting is a means necessary only for transferring the use license file from the outside to the apparatus by reading means or communication means. Depending on the general-purpose means already provided in the apparatus, the optional program Could not be allowed to operate.

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an option program operation selection method and apparatus capable of making it possible to use program modules corresponding to a plurality of operation methods stored in advance with a simple operation.

  The present invention is an apparatus having a microcomputer and storage means for storing a plurality of operation control programs executable by the microcomputer, and operates only a specific program among the plurality of operation control programs. The operation is prohibited by the prohibition operation prohibition means, the input means for inputting the release instruction information to the operation prohibition means, the analysis means for analyzing the input release instruction information, and the analyzed release instruction information. And a release means for releasing the operation prohibition of the specific program.

  The release instruction information may be a password generated in advance by another device. And a means for storing device information which is unique information of the apparatus, and a determination unit for comparing and determining the data included in the release instruction information analyzed by the analysis unit and the device information. If the data included in the release instruction information and the device information are the same, the operation prohibition of a specific program whose operation is prohibited by the release means may be released.

  According to the present invention, since the operation prohibition can be canceled by arbitrarily selecting a program to be used from among a plurality of operation control programs, the password is sold at a price corresponding to the development cost of the program to be used. be able to. In addition, by paying a usage fee for necessary functions, the price of basic functions can be reduced, and the operation control program can be made optional, so even functions that are not necessary for everyone can be easily It can be developed and added to the selection menu.

  In addition, since the operation prohibition can be canceled by the password, the option program can be provided in the form of selling only the password. For this reason, it is not necessary to have a special inventory for sales.

  In addition, by including the serial number or MAC address of the network card in the password as unique information that the device has, the password can function effectively only on the device that has the device-specific information. Use can be prevented.

  An option program operation selection method according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The present invention can be implemented in an apparatus that performs operation control using a program. Here, a digital camera that is an image recording apparatus will be described as an example of the apparatus. FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram illustrating an example of a digital camera.

  In FIG. 1, a digital camera 1 includes an external storage device 21 (compact flash (registered trademark), memory card, smart media, etc.) for storing captured images, a lens and its driving system, a CCD, an AD converter, and the like. The imaging device 22, a display device 23 that displays various information necessary for shooting operations and various setting information of the digital camera 1, an operation console 24 used for shooting operations and information setting operations, and the entire digital camera 1 are controlled. It is constituted by a general control device 10 having a CPU / ROM / RAM / input / output port (I / O port) and a bus line connecting them. The overall control device 10 is constituted by a known microcomputer.

  The ROM is a non-volatile memory (for example, a flash memory) that stores a processing procedure (program) performed by the CPU, and an operation of the program stored in the ROM is selected by the method according to the present invention. The ROM stores various setting information necessary for the operation of the digital camera 1. The RAM functions as a work area used by the CPU when executing the program.

  FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing password file generation processing used in the option program operation selection method according to the present invention. This process is executed in advance using an information processing apparatus such as a personal computer. First, the serial number given to the digital camera 1 is input by an input means provided in the information processing apparatus that executes the processing (300). The serial number is written on the rating nameplate of the digital camera 1.

  The input serial number is stored in the storage area of the information processing apparatus (301). Next, a function number is input via the input means (302). The function number is a number corresponding to an operation method that can be selected by the user, and is assigned in advance by the manufacturer for each operation method. For example, “1” assigns “PictBridge function” and “2” assigns “mass storage function” to be selectable. Here, a case will be described where both of the above functions cannot be used when the digital camera 1 is shipped from the factory and only the standard original operation method is available.

  A password is generated based on the input serial number and function number (303). FIG. 3 shows an example of the password generated as described above. In FIG. 3, the password is composed of the serial number converted into binary data and expressed in 4 bytes, the function number converted into binary data and expressed in 1 byte, and a 1-byte checksum. For example, if the serial number is “00123456” and the function number is “1”, the 5 bytes of 0x0001E240 and 0x01 and the checksum of these 5 bytes are calculated from the upper digits on the password format, and 1 byte is the lowest. Calculated as added data (303).

  In addition to using the checksum as described above, a plurality of methods can be used as the password calculation method. For example, a method using a modulo of an HDLC frame check sequence or a method using a value obtained by CRC calculation may be used. The apparatus that performs the operation selection processing of the option program using the password may be configured to use the same method as the password analysis method.

  The password generated by the above processing is displayed on the screen of the information processing apparatus (304).

FIG. 4 shows a display example of the above screen. In FIG. 4, the screen 41 includes a serial number input field 42, a function number input field 43, an explanation display field 44, and a password display field 45. In the explanation display field 44, explanations are displayed so that the user can understand the display contents in the above-mentioned fields.

  An option program operation selection method according to the present application using the password generated by the above method will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. The password generated by the password generation process described with reference to FIG. 2 is input by operating the console 24 of the digital camera 1 (310). A checksum is performed on the input password to check whether the password is normal (311).

  If the input password is normal according to the checksum (Y in 312), a process of calculating “serial number” and “function number” included in the password is performed (313).

  A comparison is made as to whether or not the calculated “serial number” is the same as the serial number stored in the overall control device 10 of the digital camera 1. If “not the same”, the process ends as an error ( 314 N). If the calculated function number is not included in the selectable function numbers stored in the overall control apparatus 10, the process ends as an error (N in 314). In the case of the serial number and function number shown in FIG. 4, if the serial number is not 123456, the process ends due to an error. If the function number is not 1 or 2, the process ends due to an error.

  Through the above processing, the operation selection control of the digital camera 1 is performed based on the function number calculated from the normal password. Specifically, the setting is changed so that the operation corresponding to the number selected by the function number among the selectable operation modes can be permitted (315). The settings changed here are stored in a non-volatile memory or the like that is stored even when the power is turned off, so that the trouble of inputting a password can be saved when the power is turned on again.

  An example of processing when the digital camera 1 is permitted the operation method of the communication method used for connection with the external device by the above processing will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. A communication method setting menu is selected by operating the console 24 (320). The initial value “original” is set in the method selection menu (321). Next, with reference to the operation prohibition flag set in 315 of FIG. 6, it is determined whether or not a function number indicating that PictBridge operation is permitted is set (322).

  If PictBridge is permitted to operate, “PTP” is added to the method selection menu (323). Next, with reference to the operation prohibition flag, it is determined whether or not a function number indicating that mass storage operation is permitted is set (324). If the mass storage operation is permitted, “mass storage” is added to the method selection menu (325).

  The added method selection menu is displayed on the display device 23 (326). FIG. 5 shows an example of the display screen. In the display example shown in FIG. 5, both mass storage and PTP are permitted to operate. One of the methods displayed on the display device 23 is selected by operating the console 24 (327), and the selected method is set in the method flag (328).

  FIG. 8 is a flowchart of processing for transferring an image file stored in the external storage device 21 to an external device via a communication means (not shown) in the image recording apparatus in which the predetermined operation method is set by the setting process. Shown in When connecting to an external device such as a personal computer or a printer via USB (330), the method flag set in the previous setting process (328 in FIG. 7) is referred to.

  If PictBridge is selected in the referred method flag (Y in 331), communication by PictBridge is started (335). If mass storage is selected (Y in 332), communication by mass storage is started (334). If no method is selected, communication in the unique mode is started as the original method (333).

  As described above, in the plurality of operation methods stored in advance in the image recording apparatus, the operation method can be arbitrarily set and used by the password.

It is a block diagram which shows the example of the digital camera which is an example of the apparatus which implements the operation | movement selection method which concerns on this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the example of the password production | generation process used for the operation | movement selection method which concerns on this invention. It is a figure which shows the structural example of the password by the password production | generation process which concerns on this invention. It is an example of the display screen of the digital camera which implements this invention. It is an example of the display screen of the digital camera which implements this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the example of the password input process in the operation | movement selection method which concerns on this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the example of the communication system setting process in the digital camera which implements the operation | movement selection method which concerns on this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the example of the communication process in the digital camera which implements the operation | movement selection method which concerns on this invention.

Explanation of symbols

    1 Digital camera

Claims (6)

An apparatus having a microcomputer and storage means for storing a plurality of operation control programs executable by the microcomputer,
An operation prohibiting means for prohibiting operation of only a specific program among the plurality of operation control programs;
Input means for inputting release instruction information to the operation prohibiting means;
Analyzing means for analyzing the input release instruction information;
An apparatus comprising: release means for releasing the operation prohibition of a specific program whose operation is prohibited by the analyzed release instruction information.   The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the release instruction information is a password generated in advance by another apparatus. Means for storing device information which is unique information of the device;
Determination means for comparing and determining the data included in the release instruction information analyzed by the analysis means and the device information;
2. The operation prohibition of a specific program whose operation is prohibited is canceled by the release means if the data included in the release instruction information is the same as the device information by the determination means. Equipment. Storage means for storing a plurality of operation control programs, operation prohibiting means for prohibiting operation of only a specific program among the plurality of programs, input means for inputting release instruction information to the operation prohibiting means, and analyzing the release instruction information Using a microcomputer and an operation control program that can be executed by the microcomputer, the analyzing means having the releasing means for releasing the operation prohibition of the specific program whose operation is prohibited by the analyzed release instruction information A method for selecting an operation of an option program that uses a device that performs operation control.
An operation prohibiting step for prohibiting only a specific program from the plurality of programs;
An input step of inputting release instruction information for the operation prohibiting means by the input means;
An analysis step of analyzing the release instruction information by the analysis means;
An option program operating method comprising: a releasing step of canceling the operation prohibition of a specific program whose operation is prohibited by the analyzed release instruction information.   5. The method of operating an option program according to claim 4, wherein the release instruction information is a password. The apparatus further includes means for storing device information, which is unique information of the device, and determination means for comparing and determining the data included in the analyzed release instruction information with the device information. Is information including device information unique to the device, and the device information stored in the device is compared with the device information included in the input release instruction information for releasing the operation prohibiting means. Steps,
5. The operation method of an option program according to claim 4, further comprising: a cancellation instructing step of the operation prohibiting means to the canceling means if the comparison results in the determination step are the same.

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