JPH10283146A - Printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a printer which easily performs the version up of a control program without performing a special panel operation. SOLUTION: In a printer which processes and prints data received from a host part H based on a control program 51 that is stored in a 1st memory module 25 in a 1st slot 24, a program updating means 52 detects a spare memory module 29 in a 2nd slot 41, also starts an updating program on condition that it detects a control program in the module 29 which is newer than the program 51 stored in the module 25 in the slot 24, and writes a new control program 51a of the module 29 into the module 25 in the slot 24. In this way, it performs the version up of a control program by writing a new control program in the module 25.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a printing apparatus for printing based on print data transmitted from a host computer, and more particularly, to operability by easily upgrading a control program stored in a memory module. It is intended to improve the quality.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Among printing apparatuses, for example, a laser printer includes print information (character codes, etc.) and form information transmitted from a host computer connected to the outside.
Alternatively, a macro instruction or the like is input and stored, and a corresponding character pattern, form pattern, or the like is created according to the information, and an image is formed on a recording sheet as a recording medium.

The control unit of this laser printer includes a CPU,
It is composed of a ROM, a RAM, and the like, and is generally controlled based on a control program stored in a ROM or a hard disk as an external memory.

This ROM is mounted as a card in a slot provided in a laser printer and is replaceable. That is, when the version of the control program is upgraded, the memory module in which the old version of the control program is stored is replaced with a new memory module in which the new version of the control program is stored.

However, according to the conventional method, when there are many laser printer systems for upgrading, a large number of memory modules storing a new version of the control program must be prepared for each system, resulting in cost reduction. It will be high. Therefore, the laser printer is provided with two slots for mounting memory modules,
An old memory module in which an old version of the control program is stored is mounted in the first slot, a new memory module in which a new version of the control program is stored is mounted in the second slot, and in response to an operation from the operation panel,
It has been considered that a new control program is written from a memory module in the second slot to a memory module in the first slot.

Therefore, according to this method, even if there are many laser printer systems for upgrading,
If there is one memory module in which a new version of the control program is stored, the system of each laser printer can be sequentially upgraded, resulting in low cost.

FIG. 3 is a control flowchart showing the above-described conventional version upgrade method.

As shown in FIG. 3, when the power switch of the laser printer is turned on (step S001), it is determined whether or not the upgrade switch on the operation panel is turned on (step S002). Here, if the version upgrade switch is ON, it is determined whether a memory module used for version upgrade is installed in the second slot (step S003).
If the upgraded memory module is installed in the second slot, the system is automatically rebooted to start the update program for the memory module in the second slot (step S004), and the second module is updated. The control program in the memory module is written into the memory module in the first slot (Step S005).
After that, the power switch is turned off (step S006), the second memory module is removed (step S007), and then the power switch is turned on (step S001) and restarted. If the upgrade switch on the operation panel is not turned on in step S002 or if no memory module is installed in the second slot in step S003, the data is written to the memory module in the first slot. The control program starts, and the laser printer is controlled based on the control program (step S00).
9).

[0009]

According to the above-described conventional method of upgrading, when the new control program stored in the memory module in the second slot is written to the memory module in the first slot, It is necessary to turn on the power switch of the laser printer and the version up switch of the operation panel. Therefore, there is a problem that the operation is troublesome.

Conventionally, the power switch of the laser printer and the upgrade switch of the operation panel are both set to O.
When N, if a memory module is installed in the second slot, the control program stored in this memory module is written to the memory module in the first slot. Therefore, even when the new control program is not stored in the memory module mounted in the second slot, the new control program is stored in the memory module in the second slot, for example,
There is a problem that the old control program is written into the memory module in the first slot.

In view of such circumstances, it is an object of the present invention to provide a printing apparatus capable of easily upgrading a control program without performing a special panel operation.

[0012]

According to a first aspect of the present invention for solving the above-mentioned problems, data received from a host unit is transmitted to a first memory.
In a printing apparatus for processing and printing based on a control program stored in a rewritable memory in a slot, a slot in which a spare memory module can be mounted, and a program for updating a control program stored in the memory Updating means, the program updating means detecting that a spare memory module is detected in the spare slot, and that a new control program other than the control program stored in the memory is detected in the spare memory module. The printing apparatus is characterized in that, as a condition, an update program for writing a new control program in the spare memory module into the memory is started.

[0013] In the first aspect, the program updating means detects that a spare memory module is mounted in the slot, and a control program newer than the control program stored in the rewritable memory is stored in the slot. When it is detected that the new control program is stored in the spare memory module, the new control program in the spare memory module is written to the memory. It becomes possible to upgrade the version of the control program by writing.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided the printing apparatus according to the first aspect, wherein the program updating means is executed simultaneously with the input of the driving power.

In the second aspect, it is possible to upgrade the control program at the same time as the input of the driving power supply without performing a special panel operation.

A third aspect of the present invention is the printing apparatus according to the first or second aspect, wherein the update program is stored in the spare memory module together with the new control program.

In the third aspect, the version of the control program can be upgraded by the update program stored in the spare memory module, and the version upgrade program becomes unnecessary.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the printing apparatus according to the third aspect, the program updating means activates the updating program stored in a spare memory module in the slot. is there.

In the fourth aspect, the update program is automatically started and operates to update the control program.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the third or fourth aspect, the updating program writes the new control program stored in the spare memory module into the memory, and then updates the new control program. Requesting a reboot to activate the printer.

In the fifth aspect, after the new control program is written, a request for a reboot is made to operate according to the new control program.

[0022]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of a printing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a flowchart when a version is upgraded by the printing apparatus.

The printer 10 of the present embodiment has an existing structure, and as shown in FIG.
Is connected to a host computer (host unit) H via an interface 11, and a CPU 21 and a ROM 2
2, a rewritable first memory module 25 mounted in the RAM 23 and the first slot 24, for example, EE
The PROM, the flash memory and the like constitute a printer control unit. That is, the first memory module 25 stores a print control program 51 for controlling the entire apparatus and executing printing. Also, ROM
A program update unit 52 is stored in the storage 22, and further, data necessary for creating a print image such as various fonts is stored.

Further, in the printer 10, the second to n-th slots 41 and 42 in which other memory modules can be mounted are usually used for mounting memory modules for storing optional data or programs. It is. Further, in order to confirm necessary information, it has an EEPROM 27 which is a rewritable nonvolatile memory.
Further, the printer 10 includes a printer mechanism unit 30 for executing printing, a switch panel 12 for operating the entire apparatus and displaying various information, and a power supply 13 for turning on and off the power supplied to the printer 10.

In this embodiment, the first memory module 2
5, the printer control unit controls the entire apparatus, analyzes data received from the host computer H to form a print image, and operates the printer mechanism unit 30. Execute printing. The printer mechanism unit 30 includes a xerographic process unit 31, a heat fixing unit 32, and an exposure optical unit 33.

Further, the present embodiment has the program updating means 52 as described above. Program update means 5
2 is a spare memory module 29 storing the new control program 51a in the second or other spare slot described above.
When the is mounted, the control program update is automatically started. Further, the program updating means 52 includes:
The presence / absence of the spare memory module 29 in the second to n-th slots 41 and 42 is detected, and the first slot 24
It is detected whether a newer control program 51a is stored in the spare memory module 29 than the control program 51 stored in the first memory module 25 in the first memory module 25.

On the other hand, when the spare memory module 29 is installed in the second slot 41 for the purpose of updating the program, the new control program 51a is stored in the second memory module 29 together with the new control program. It is necessary to have a rewriting means 55 for writing to the first memory module 25 in the memory.

The first, second and n-th slots 24, 41, and 42 are DIMMs (Dual Inline).
The slot is a slot for a module memory (SIMM), but is not limited thereto. For example, a single inline module memory (SIMM)
y), IC card, dedicated board such as PCMCIA
It may be a slot for a reference PC card or the like.

Here, in the printing apparatus of the present embodiment,
Control program 51 stored in memory module 25
Will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

As shown in FIG. 2, when the power switch of the laser printer 10 is turned on (step S11), the program updating means 25 is started, and the presence or absence of the spare memory module 29 in the slots 41 and 42 is detected (FIG. 2). Step S12). Here, when it is detected that the second memory module 41a is installed in the second slot 41,
Further, it is detected whether a newer control program 51a is stored in the spare memory module 41a than the control program stored in the first memory module 25 in the first slot 24 (step S13). And
Here, if the new control program 51a is stored in the spare memory module 29, a reboot is performed to activate the rewriting means 55 in the spare memory module 29 (step S14).

As a result, the rewriting means 55 in the second memory module 29 functions and the spare memory module 2
9 in the first slot 41 by the new control program.
The control program of the memory module 41a is updated (Step S15). Thereafter, the power supply is requested to be turned off (step S16), the spare memory module 29 in the second slot 41 is removed (step S17), and a memory module storing other optional data and the like is mounted as necessary. The switch 13 is turned on (step S1
1) Start again. If the spare memory module 29 is not mounted in the second slot 41 in step S12, or if the new control program is not stored in the spare memory modules in the second to n-th slots in step S13. , The first in the first slot 24
Control program 5 written in memory module 25
1 to control the laser printer 10 (step S18).

Although the present invention has been described with reference to the embodiment, the present invention is not limited to the embodiment.
Various modifications can be made within the technical scope described in the claims. For example, the specific configuration of the printing apparatus is not limited to the schematic configuration shown in FIG. 1 and is not restricted by the processing flow of FIG. For example, rewriting means 5
5 need not be in the spare memory module, but may be stored in another spare memory module or in the ROM 22 or the like. The control program 51 does not need to be stored in the memory module, but may be any rewritable memory. If the program updating means 51 is in the printer main body, for example, the first memory module 2
5, etc. may be stored.

[0034]

As described above in detail in the embodiment, according to the printing apparatus of the present invention, the printing apparatus has a slot in which a spare memory module can be mounted, and
When it is detected that a spare memory module is installed in the slot and a newer control program is stored in the spare memory module than the control program stored in the main body memory, the new control program is written to the main body memory to perform control. Since the program is updated, the control program can be easily upgraded without special panel operation, and the new control program can be written without fail to the main memory to upgrade the control program. The operability and reliability in work can be improved. Also,
The slot for mounting the spare memory module can be used not only for updating a program but also for storing optional data or a program.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of a printing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart at the time of version upgrade by the printing apparatus of one embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a control flowchart illustrating a conventional version upgrade method.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 10 printer 11 interface 12 switch panel 21 CPU 22 ROM 23 RAM 24 first slot 25 first memory module 29 spare memory module 30 printing mechanism unit 31 xerography process unit 32 heat fixing unit 33 exposure optical unit 40 storage unit 41 second slot 42 n-th memory module 51 control program 52 program updating means 55 rewriting means H host computer

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A printing apparatus for performing printing by processing data received from a host unit based on a control program stored in a rewritable memory, a slot in which a spare memory module can be mounted, and a memory stored in the memory. Program updating means for updating the control program, wherein the program updating means detects a spare memory module in the slot, and stores a newer program than the control program stored in the memory in the spare memory module. A printing apparatus, wherein an update program for writing a new control program in the spare memory module into the memory is started on condition that a control program is detected. 2. A printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said program updating means is executed simultaneously with input of a driving power supply. 3. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the update program is stored in the spare memory module together with the new control program. 4. The printing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the program updating unit activates the updating program stored in a second memory module in the second slot. 5. The update program according to claim 3, wherein the update program requests a reboot to start the new control program after writing the new control program stored in the spare memory module into the memory. A printing device, comprising: