JP6170021B2 - Information processing device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus that recovers a computer program.

  Conventionally, when a computer program (hereinafter simply referred to as “program”) is updated, a technique for restoring the program when the updated program does not operate normally is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1). ). The system described in Patent Document 1 backs up the program (data of the program) before updating the program. Then, when the updated program does not operate normally, the system restores the program to the pre-update program based on the backed up data.

  An information processing apparatus that provides a plurality of functions to a user is also known. An image forming apparatus as an example of the information processing apparatus includes, for example, an original reading function (scanner function) for reading an image of an original specified by a user and an image forming function (printing function) for forming an image specified by a user on a sheet. And a sheet sorting function for sorting a plurality of sheets on which images are formed by a method designated by the user.

JP 2000-330777 A

  In an information processing apparatus that provides a plurality of functions to a user, if the program does not operate normally after a certain program is updated, the information processing apparatus Processing based on the program cannot be performed normally, and functions realized by the program cannot be provided. In this case, it is inconvenient for the user if not only the functions realized by the program that does not operate normally but also other functions are not provided to the user.

  For example, a user who uses an image forming apparatus that provides a scanner function, a print function, and a paper sort function does not necessarily use all of the scanner function, the print function, and the paper sort function. Accordingly, in the image forming apparatus, for example, when a program for realizing the paper sort function is updated and the program does not operate normally after the update, not only the paper sort function but also the scanner function and the print function are provided. If the provision is stopped, the user who intends to use the scanner function or the print function cannot use the function, which is inconvenient for the user.

  Accordingly, it is desirable that provision of functions to the user is continued as much as possible even when some programs do not operate normally. For example, it is desired that only functions realized by a program that does not operate normally are stopped and other functions are continuously provided to the user. In addition, while other functions are continuously provided, it is convenient for the user if a program that has stopped operating normally is restored and the provision of the functions realized by the program is resumed.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and its purpose is to continue providing functions to a user as long as possible even if a certain program does not operate normally. An object of the present invention is to provide an information processing apparatus capable of recovering a program that has stopped operating normally.

  An information processing apparatus according to an aspect of the present invention provides a plurality of functions to a user. The information processing apparatus includes a first control unit, a second control unit, and a third control unit. The first control unit performs processing based on a first program stored in a first storage unit. The second control unit is communicably connected to the first control unit, and performs processing based on a second program stored in a second storage unit. The third control unit is communicably connected to the second control unit and provides a first function among the plurality of functions based on a third program stored in a third storage unit. The first process is performed. The information processing apparatus stores backup data of the third program in the second storage unit before updating the third program. If the updated third program does not operate normally after updating the third program, the information processing apparatus stops the first processing and the first of the plurality of functions Providing users with functions other than functions. The information processing apparatus restores the third program to the third program before update based on the backup data under a predetermined condition.

  According to the present invention, even when a certain program does not operate normally, information that can recover a program that has stopped operating normally while continuing to provide functions to the user as long as possible. A processing device is provided.

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an example of an image forming apparatus as an example of an information processing apparatus according to the embodiment. FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of an example of a storage unit included in the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment. FIG. 3 is a flowchart of the program update and recovery process according to the embodiment.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The embodiments described below do not limit the invention according to the claims. In addition, all of the constituent elements described in the embodiments are not necessarily essential to the solving means of the invention. The same code | symbol has shown the same component through several figures.

  FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an example of an image forming apparatus as an example of an information processing apparatus according to the embodiment. FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of an example of a storage unit included in the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment. A configuration of an image forming apparatus 1 as an example of an information processing apparatus according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

  The image forming apparatus 1 is, for example, a multi function peripheral (MFP). The image forming apparatus 1 provides a plurality of functions to the user. In the present embodiment, the image forming apparatus 1 includes a document reading function (scanner function) for reading an image of a document specified by a user, an image forming function (printing function) for forming an image specified by a user on paper, and an image A user is provided with a paper sorting function for sorting a plurality of formed papers by a method specified by the user.

  The image forming apparatus 1 includes a plurality of modules, in this embodiment, three modules 10 (a first module 10A, a second module 10B, and a third module 10C). The first module 10A is a main module in the image forming apparatus 1, and the second module 10B and the third module 10C are sub modules. A scanner function and a printing function are realized by the first module 10A and the second module 10B, and a paper sorting function is realized by the third module 10C.

  Each of the plurality of modules 10 includes a control unit 11 (first control unit 11A, second control unit 11B, or third control unit 11C) and storage unit 12 (first storage unit 12A, second control unit 11C). Storage unit 12B or third storage unit 12C). The control unit 11 is, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit). The storage unit 12 includes a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), and a secondary storage device. The secondary storage device is a non-volatile storage device such as a hard disk or a flash memory. The storage unit 12 stores various programs. In each module 10, a program loaded from the ROM to the RAM is executed by the control unit 11, thereby realizing a scanner function, a printing function, and a paper sorting function.

  As shown in FIG. 1, in the image forming apparatus 1, a plurality of sub modules (second module 10B and third module 10C) are connected in series to a main module (first module 10A). It has a configuration. In the present embodiment, the second module 10B is connected to the first module 10A, and the third module 10C is connected to the second module 10B. That is, the third module 10C is connected to the first module 10A via the second module 10B. By adopting such a configuration, when the second module 10B and the third module 10C perform processing in cooperation, the second module 10B and the third module 10C are connected to the first module 10A. It is possible to communicate directly without going through, and to perform processing efficiently. Note that the connection between the modules 10 means that the control units 11 are connected so as to communicate with each other. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the first control unit 11A and the second control unit 11B are connected to be communicable, and the second control unit 11B and the third control unit 11C are connected to be communicable.

  The first module 10A further includes an input / output unit 13, an external memory I / F (interface) 14, and a data communication I / F 15 in addition to the first control unit 11A and the first storage unit 12A. . The first control unit 11A, the first storage unit 12A, the input / output unit 13, the external memory I / F 14, and the data communication I / F 15 are connected to be communicable with each other.

  The input / output unit 13 is a device that accepts input from a user and displays information to be presented to the user. The input / output unit 13 is, for example, a touch panel, operation keys, and / or a display. The external memory I / F 14 is an interface device for connecting to the external memory 2. The external memory 2 is a removable medium, for example, a USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory or an SD (Secure Digital) card. The data communication I / F 15 is an interface device for connecting to the communication network 3.

  As shown in FIG. 2, a first program 41 is stored in the first storage unit 12A. The first program 41 is, for example, firmware for the first module 10A. The first controller 11 </ b> A performs various processes based on the first program 41. Specifically, the first control unit 11A performs image processing for converting input image data in a predetermined format into output image data for image formation. The input image data is, for example, image data generated by reading an image of a document, image data received from an external device via the communication network 3, or image data acquired from an external memory 2 connected to the image forming apparatus 1. It is. In addition, the first control unit 11A performs a process of updating the program stored in the storage unit 12, that is, the third program 43 stored in the third storage unit 12C in the present embodiment. For example, the first control unit 11A downloads the third program 43 based on the latest third program 43 downloaded from the external memory 2 connected via the communication network 3 or connected to the image forming apparatus 1. Update. Further, the first control unit 11A controls the input / output unit 13 to perform processing related to input / output.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the second module 10B includes an image forming unit 16 and an image reading unit 17 in addition to the second control unit 11B and the second storage unit 12B. The second control unit 11B, the second storage unit 12B, the image forming unit 16, and the image reading unit 17 are connected to be communicable with each other. The image forming unit 16 is an apparatus that forms an image on a sheet under the control of the second control unit 11B. The image reading unit 17 is a device that reads an image of a document under the control of the second control unit 11B.

  As shown in FIG. 2, a second program 42 is stored in the second storage unit 12B. The second program 42 is firmware for the second module 10B, for example. Further, the second storage unit 12B is provided with a backup area 5 used when backing up the third program 43. The second control unit 11B performs various processes based on the second program 42. Specifically, the second control unit 11B performs an image forming process for controlling the image forming unit 16 to form an image designated by the user on a sheet. Further, the second control unit 11B controls the image reading unit 17 to read an image of a document designated by the user, and performs image reading processing for generating image data indicating the read image. In addition, the second control unit 11B performs a recovery process for recovering the third program 43 to the third program 43 before the update when the updated third program 43 does not operate normally.

  As illustrated in FIG. 1, the third module 10 </ b> C includes a paper sorting unit 18 in addition to the third control unit 11 </ b> C and the third storage unit 12 </ b> C. The third control unit 11C, the third storage unit 12C, and the paper sort unit 18 are connected to be communicable with each other. The paper sorting unit 18 is a device that sorts a plurality of paper sheets on which images are formed under the control of the third control unit 11C.

  As shown in FIG. 2, a third program 43 is stored in the third storage unit 12C. The third program 43 is, for example, firmware for the third module 10C. The third control unit 11 </ b> C performs various processes based on the third program 43. Specifically, the third control unit 11C controls the paper sorting unit 18 to perform a paper sorting process for sorting a plurality of sheets on which images are formed in a method designated by the user.

  Hereinafter, details of processing performed by the image forming apparatus 1 will be described. The image forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment performs program update and restoration processing. In the program update and recovery process, the third program 43 is updated. Then, when the updated third program 43 does not operate normally, the paper sort function realized by the third program is stopped, and functions other than the paper sort function are provided to the user. Then, the third program 43 is restored under predetermined conditions.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart of the program update and recovery process according to the embodiment.

  First, the first control unit 11A copies the third program 43 stored in the third storage unit 12C to the backup area 5 of the second storage unit 12B (step S101). That is, the backup data of the third program 43 before update is stored in the second storage unit 12B, and the third program 43 is backed up.

  Next, the first control unit 11A acquires the latest third program 43 by downloading from the external memory 2 connected to the image forming apparatus 1 or downloaded via the communication network 3 (step S102). . The process of step S102 may be performed before the process of step S101, that is, the process of backing up the third program 43.

  Thereafter, the first control unit 11A overwrites and updates the third program 43 stored in the third storage unit 12C with the latest third program 43 acquired in step S102 (step S103). .

  Thereafter, when the user uses the paper sort function, the third control unit 11C performs the paper sort process based on the updated third program 43. When the updated third program 43 operates normally and the paper sort process is performed normally (step S104: YES), the image forming apparatus 1 ends the program update and recovery process.

  On the other hand, if the updated third program 43 does not operate normally and the paper sort process is not performed normally (step S104: NO), the image forming apparatus 1 stops the paper sort process and performs the paper sort function. The user is provided with a function excluding, that is, a scanner function and a printing function (step S105). For example, the image forming apparatus 1 may stop the third module 10C, disconnect it from the second module 10B, and operate only with the first module 10A and the second module 10B. Thereby, even when the third program 43 does not operate normally, the scanner function and the print function are continuously provided to the user, so that the user can use the scanner function and the print function as before.

  Thereafter, the second control unit 11B waits until the second control unit 11B is in a low load state (step S106). For example, the second control unit 11B may determine that the second control unit 11B is in a low load state when the processing load of the second control unit 11B is a predetermined value or less. The second control unit 11B may determine that the second control unit 11B is in a low load state when the processing load of the second control unit 11B is lower than the processing load of the first control unit 11A.

  Here, a specific example when the second control unit 11B is in a low load state will be described. For example, when the image forming apparatus 1 forms an image of a PDF (Portable Document Format) file acquired from the external memory 2, the first control unit 11A uses the input image data of the PDF file as output image data for image formation. Image processing (hereinafter referred to as “PDF conversion processing”) is performed. In the PDF conversion processing, RIP (Raster Image Processor) processing is performed on input image data of a PDF file. Here, the RIP process is a process with a relatively high load. Therefore, while the PDF conversion process is being performed, the processing load on the first control unit 11A increases. On the other hand, the second control unit 11B performs an image forming process based on the output image data, but waits until the output image data is generated, that is, until the PDF conversion process is completed. Therefore, the second control unit 11B is in a low load state while the PDF conversion process is being performed. Note that not only the PDF conversion process but also other image processing or input / output processing is performed by the first control unit 11A, the second control unit 11B can be in a low load state.

  When the second control unit 11B is in a low load state (step S106: YES), the second control unit 11B performs the third control based on the backup data stored in the second storage unit 12B in step S101. The program 43 is restored to the third program 43 before update (step S107). Here, since the second control unit 11B is directly connected to the third control unit 11C, the second control unit 11B communicates directly with the third control unit 11C without performing the recovery process without going through the first control unit 11A. It can be carried out. Therefore, the second control unit 11B can perform the recovery process without imposing a load on the first control unit 11A. As described above, the second control unit 11B in the low load state communicates directly with the third control unit 11C to perform the recovery process, so that the second control unit 11B having a margin for processing can be processed by the processing load. The third program 43 can be efficiently restored without imposing a load on the first control unit 11 </ b> A having a high value.

  Thereafter, the image forming apparatus 1 resumes providing the paper sort function to the user (step S108). Thereafter, the image forming apparatus 1 ends the program update and recovery process.

  According to the present embodiment, when the updated program does not operate normally, functions other than the functions realized by the program are continuously provided to the user. And the control part 11 used as the low load state restores | restores the program which stopped working normally, and the function implement | achieved by the said program is restarted. As a result, the user can still use functions other than those realized by the program that does not operate normally. In addition, a program that has stopped operating normally is efficiently restored by the control unit 11 in a low-load state with a margin for processing.

  Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to this embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

  For example, in the present embodiment, the processes in steps S101 to S103 in FIG. 3 are performed by the first control unit 11A, but may be performed by the second control unit 11B.

  In the present embodiment, the third program 43 to be updated is firmware for the third module 10C and is a program for controlling the entire third module 10C. A program constituting a part of the program 43 (hereinafter referred to as “partial program”) may be an update target. For example, when the updated partial program does not operate normally, the image forming apparatus 1 does not stop the entire third module 10C, but stops the partial processing performed based on the partial program, and is related to the partial processing. You may not provide only a function. Here, the function related to the partial process is a function that requires execution of the partial process in order to realize the function. For example, in the case where two functions of the first function and the second function are realized by the third module 10C, the first function is a function related to partial processing, and the second function is related to partial processing. If the function is not a function, the image forming apparatus 1 may not provide only the first function and may continue to provide the second function. The update and recovery of the partial program is performed by the same process as the program update and recovery process shown in FIG.

  In the present embodiment, the image forming apparatus 1 has been described as an example of the information processing apparatus. However, the information processing apparatus is not limited to the image forming apparatus 1 and includes a plurality of control units and provides a plurality of functions to the user. Other devices may be used.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image forming apparatus 11A 1st control part 11B 2nd control part 11C 3rd control part 12A 1st memory | storage part 12B 2nd memory | storage part 12C 3rd memory | storage part 41 1st program 42 2nd program 43 Third program

Claims (5)

An information processing apparatus that provides a plurality of functions to a user,
A first control unit that performs processing based on a first program stored in the first storage unit;
A second control unit that is communicably connected to the first control unit and that performs processing based on a second program stored in a second storage unit;
A first process for providing a first function of the plurality of functions based on a third program that is communicably connected to the second control unit and is stored in a third storage unit. A third control unit to perform,
Before updating the third program, store backup data of the third program in the second storage unit,
If the updated third program does not operate normally after updating the third program, the first process is stopped and a function other than the first function is removed from the plurality of functions. To provide
An information processing apparatus that restores the third program to the third program before update based on the backup data under a predetermined condition.   The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second control unit restores the third program when a processing load of the second control unit is lower than a processing load of the first control unit. .   The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second control unit restores the third program when a processing load of the second control unit is a predetermined value or less. The information processing apparatus provides the user with an image forming function for forming an image designated by the user on a sheet, and a plurality of sheets on which the image is formed are sorted by a method designated by the user. An image forming apparatus that provides a paper sorting function,
The first control unit performs image processing for converting input image data in a predetermined format into output image data for image formation,
The second control unit performs an image forming process for controlling the image forming unit to form an image on a sheet,
The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the third control unit performs the first process.   The second control unit restores the third program when the first control unit performs the image processing and the second control unit does not perform the image forming process. Item 5. The information processing apparatus according to Item 4.

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