JP2011097365A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent that an application does not start even if API mismatch occurs due to version upgrade of firmware in an image forming apparatus. <P>SOLUTION: The application has information for identifying an API to be used, and the firmware of the image forming apparatus has a list of APIs which can be provided, interface information of the APIs, and information of alternative APIs when API mismatch, wherein the problem is solved by modifying the application so that the alternative API is called upon occurrence of mismatch between the API used by the application and the API to be provided. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an application program interface (API) utilization technique in an image forming apparatus.

  When an application is operated on an image forming apparatus such as an MFP (Multi Functional Peripheral), there is no matching between an API (Application Program Interface) provided by the MFP and an API used by the application. , Can not run the application. In this case, for example, if there is no API that can be used by the application due to an update of the API set due to firmware upgrade, the application may not start. For the user, there is a disadvantage that the user does not know why the activation has failed and the user cannot use the desired application.

  As a prior art, in order to easily determine whether or not an application can be used depending on whether or not the API can be used, API information is stored in the MFP in advance, and API information to be used on the application side is attached, and the compatibility is maintained. Then, there is a method of determining whether or not it can be used (see Patent Document 1). In this method, whether or not the API can be used is determined by referring to the contents of the user information storage unit, the MFP information storage unit, the API information storage unit, and the like, and the function of the application that cannot be executed because the API cannot be used. And switching the display method when displaying a list of applications on the display.

  However, this method does not solve the problem that an application that has been used so far cannot be used because the API set is updated by upgrading the firmware.

JP 2008-109416 A

  A problem to be solved is to run an application that does not operate due to an API version mismatch or the like in the image forming apparatus.

  An image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes an application data storage unit having identification information of an application and an API (Application Program Interface) used by the application, and an API data storage unit having an API provided by the apparatus and interface information of the API. An API check processing unit that determines whether the application can be used based on API identification information of the application data storage unit and API interface information of the provided API data storage unit, and the API check processing unit And an API patch processing unit that modifies the application so that the application can be operated by the API provided by the provided API data storage unit.

  For this reason, even if the application cannot be started due to a mismatch between the API used by the application and the API used by the image forming apparatus, the modified application operates correctly. It becomes possible to start.

1 is a functional block diagram of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 3 is a hierarchical diagram illustrating a software structure of the image forming apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 3 is a flowchart of the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  The image forming apparatus 101 according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described below.

[Constitution]
FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of an image forming apparatus 101 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  The image forming apparatus 101 includes an application activation receiving unit 111, an application reading processing unit 113, an application data storage unit 115, an API check processing unit 117, a provided API data storage unit 119, an API patch processing unit 121, and an application activation processing unit 123. Each functional block is included.

  The image forming apparatus 101 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a RAM (Random Access Memory), and a ROM (Read Only Memory), which are not shown, and constitute a computer. The functions of the functional blocks of the read processing unit 113, application data storage unit 115, API check processing unit 117, provided API data storage unit 119, API patch processing unit 121, and application activation processing unit 123 are executed by the computer. This is realized.

  Hereinafter, each functional block will be described.

  The application activation accepting unit 111 activates an application, which is a program for executing the operation of the image forming apparatus, in accordance with an input from the operation panel from the user or an instruction from the connected external terminal device (FIG. 1 (1)). ). The application referred to here is a program that can be installed and uninstalled that is not included in the firmware (details of the software configuration will be described later). For example, a Java (registered trademark) application program or the like by Java (registered trademark). Then, the application reading processing unit 113 is instructed to read the application (FIG. 1 (2)).

  In response to an instruction from the application activation accepting unit 111, the application reading processing unit 113 reads an application stored in the application data storage unit 115 (FIG. 1 (3)), and checks an unusable API of the application before activation. (FIG. 1 (4)) and an instruction for processing the application into a startable state (FIG. 1 (5)).

  The application data storage unit 115 stores identification information of an application and an API (Application Program Interface) used by the application. Based on a request from the application read processing unit 113, the application and API information (interface information) used by the application are passed. In some cases, the application cannot be executed due to inconsistency between the API provided by the apparatus and the version of the API used by the application. The application data storage unit 115 has identification information of the API used by the application to be installed. The provided API data storage unit 119 identifies the API, and under which interface the API operates. It is possible to investigate. Based on the interface information, comparison with the provided API (interface consistency) is performed by other function units described later.

  Whether the API check processing unit 117 uses the API that cannot be used by the application by comparing the mutual interface information between the API that the image forming apparatus 101 provides to the application and the API that the application intends to use. A check is made (FIG. 1 (4)).

  The provided API data storage unit 119 stores information (interface information) related to the API held by the image forming apparatus 101 and provided to the application. Based on a request from the API check processing unit 117, information related to the API is passed (FIG. 1 (5)).

  The API patch processing unit 121 can replace the API interface part of the application in order to execute the API provided by the apparatus for the application having an unusable API determined by the API check processing unit 117. As for things, the application is processed (modification processing, that is, patching processing) so as to dynamically change to replaceable processing (FIG. 1 (6)). For this replacement operation, in addition to a method of dynamically processing at the time of use, a method of checking at the start of the image forming apparatus and processing in advance, or a method of checking and processing at the time of application installation may be used. .

  The application activation processing unit 123 receives an application activation request from the user and executes application activation (FIG. 1 (7)).

  The application activation processing unit 123 activates the application using the final image of the application read by the application reading processing unit 113. The final image of the application refers to an image that is finally obtained by changing the image by processing the application.

Software configuration
FIG. 2 is a hierarchical diagram showing the software configuration of the image forming apparatus.

  Firmware including an OS (Operating System) exists in the lowest layer of the software of the image forming apparatus 101, and functions as a base for managing basic operations of the image forming apparatus. This firmware includes basic programs for performing various basic operations of the image forming apparatus 101.

  In the uppermost layer of the software, four types of applications (application A to application D; for example, four types here) for executing functional operations (for example, a copy function and a fax transmission / reception function) of the image forming apparatus 101 are listed. However, the number is not limited to four).

  There is middleware that mediates between the above firmware and application. The middleware has an API (Application Program Interface), and the application can access the basic operation program in the firmware by calling the API.

  Here, each functional block in the image forming apparatus 101 shown in FIG. 1 belongs to the middleware as shown in FIG. 2 (“API consistency check and functional units for patch” in FIG. 2). The function of each functional block is realized by the computer of the image forming apparatus 101 executing the program in the middleware.

[flowchart]
FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation flow of the image forming apparatus 101 according to the embodiment of the present invention. The operation flow will be described below.

  S11: The user activates an application to be used from an application activation menu of the image forming apparatus 101 or the like.

  S13: The application activation accepting unit 111 instructs the application read processing unit 113 to read an application designated by the user.

  S15: The application read processing unit 113 reads the specified application and related API identification information.

  S17: The application read processing unit 113 activates the API check processing unit 117, and refers to API information that can be used in the MFP from the provided API data storage unit 119.

  S19: Based on the information acquired in S17, the API check processing unit 117 checks an unusable API among the APIs used by the application.

  S21: If a replaceable API exists in the MFP among the API calls that cannot be used, the API patch processing unit replaces the process.

  S23: If there is an API that cannot be replaced in S21, the process proceeds to S27. If it does not exist, the process proceeds to S25.

  S25: The application execution image processed by the processing so far is passed to the application activation processing unit to activate the application.

  S27: A message indicating that the application cannot be started is displayed to the user.

  In the above flowchart, even if it is inconsistent, if it can be replaced, the replacement process is performed without issuing a message and the application is started. However, if there is an inconsistent API, a function (panel) that notifies the user to that effect Display, log recording, etc.).

[Patch application processing]
Next, a specific method of patching processing actually performed by the API patching processing unit 121 will be described.

  The provided API data storage unit 119 holds API information, for example, using the data shown in Table 1 below as one recording unit (record). This information needs to be stored including APIs provided in the past.

  That is, even if the API is called from the application on the device side (firmware side), if the interface (the signature) is inconsistent or the like, information for identifying the API to be executed as an alternative (substitutable process) Embed.

  Next, Table 2 below shows an example of an API information format stored in the application data storage unit 115 and used by an application attached to the application. That is, the identification information of the used API is embedded.

  In the case of this data format, for example, S17 in the flowchart of FIG.

  (1) With respect to all APIs used by the application, API information provided by the image forming apparatus 101 is searched using the function number included therein as a key.

  (2) Look at the availability / additional information of the record and do nothing if possible. If it cannot be used, it is replaced with the process shown in the substitutable process. Specifically, the replacement processing code is dynamically generated and the calling function address is rewritten in addition to the application execution processing.

  (3) In the replacement process of (2) above, there may be a process that cannot be replaced in some cases, but in this case, the replacement fails.

[Effect of Example]
Even if there is a mismatch between the API used by the already installed application and the API provided by the MFP due to the firmware update, it can be executed as much as possible.

  For the developer of the image forming apparatus, if there is an API that needs to be changed due to version upgrade among the APIs already provided, after the API developer is notified of the API specification change, You need to create a customized app. Even during the transition period, the user can take the option of using an old application for a certain period of time.

  In the image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment, the application is modified at the time of executing the application. Therefore, the modification process is performed only for a truly necessary application as compared with the method of modifying the application at the time of startup or installation. In addition, the problem of wasting CPU time for modification processing for many useless applications is eliminated.

[Others]
In this embodiment, as an example of using an alternative API, an inconsistency of the interface is given. However, for example, even if the interface is the same (even if the number and type of delivery and return values are the same), the processing contents are different. (For example, new processing is added in the processing routine, or the result of the return value is different.) Therefore, even when the API is not processed correctly, of course, the problem can be solved by using the alternative API. Is possible.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 101 Image forming apparatus 111 Application start reception part 113 Application read process part 115 Application data storage part 117 API check process part 119 Provided API data storage part 121 API patch application process part 123 Application start process part

Claims (3)

An application data storage unit having identification information of an application and API (Application Program Interface) used by the application;
An API provided by the device and a provided API data storage unit having interface information of the API;
An API check processing unit that determines whether or not the application can be used based on API identification information of the application data storage unit and API interface information of the provided API data storage unit;
An API patch processing unit that modifies the application so that the application is determined to be unusable by the API check processing unit so that the application can be operated by the API provided by the provided API data storage unit. An image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1,
The API check processing unit determines whether an API can be used when starting an application,
The API patch processing unit dynamically modifies an application that is determined to be unusable when the API check processing unit is activated. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:
The image forming apparatus, wherein the API patch processing unit modifies an application so as to call an API that can substitute for the unusable API.

Images