Electrophotography – Machine operation
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-15
2001-12-04
Braun, Fred L. (Department: 2852)
Electrophotography
Machine operation
C399S011000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06327446
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, such as a complex-type digital copying machine provided with various functions including a copy function and a network printer function.
In a conventional image forming apparatus, such as a digital copying machine, a control program and display data are updated by physically replacing a ROM, in which the data are stored, with another.
When the ROM is physically replaced with another, a plate has to be removed, connectors and other members, with which a circuit board is connected, have to be detached. Due to this, an installation error may occur during the ROM replacement. In addition, some of the connections or other members may be left disconnected, or they may not be connected in a reliable manner. Another problem is that the ROM replacement requires that the serviceman go over to the place where the image forming apparatus is installed. Since the power switch of the digital copying machine is kept off during the ROM replacement, ordinary uses cannot execute the copy or print operation in the meantime.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
To solve the above problems, the present invention is intended to provide an image forming apparatus which permits a control program, graphic data for display, and language data on each country to be updated with no need for physical replacement of the ROM, and which can be set in a special mode when the data is updated, thereby enabling the updating of the data in a safe state.
The present invention is also intended to provide an image forming apparatus which can store updating data, and which can therefore save the trouble of performing the retransmission of the updating data in the case where the data updating processing results in failure or where the present data is replaced with other data, such as the data updated previously.
There is provided an image forming apparatus which has a first mode that can be used by all users and a second mode that can be used by authorized users only, and which executes image forming processing in the first mode, the apparatus comprising: a nonvolatile memory for storing various kinds of data; mode switching means for setting the apparatus in the second mode in response to a request from a management apparatus, which is connected to the image forming apparatus through a communication line; reception means for receiving updating data when the second mode is selected by the mode switching means, the updating data being sent from the management apparatus and to be stored in the nonvolatile memory; storage means for storing the updating data received by the receiving means; and updating means for updating contents of the nonvolatile memory on the basis of the updating data stored in the storage means.
The present invention also provides a combination of: an image forming apparatus which has a first mode that can be used by all users and a second mode that can be used by authorized users only, and which executes image forming processing in the first mode; and a management apparatus connected to the image forming apparatus through a communication line, the apparatus comprising: a nonvolatile memory for storing various kinds of data; mode switching means for setting the apparatus in the second mode in response to a request from the management apparatus; reception means for receiving updating data sent from the management apparatus, when the second mode is selected by the mode switching means; storage means for storing the updating data received by the receiving means; and updating means for updating contents of the nonvolatile memory on the basis of the updating data stored in the storage means, and the management apparatus comprising: authentication means for authenticating a user; request means for requesting that contents of the nonvolatile memory of the image forming apparatus be updated, when the authentication means identifies an authorized user; and transmitting means for transmitting the updating data for updating the nonvolatile memory, when the image forming apparatus is switched to the second mode in response to a request made by the request means.
The present invention further provides a data updating method for use in an image forming system that is made up of: an image forming apparatus which has a first mode that can be used by all users and a second mode that can be used by authorized users only, and which executes image forming processing in the first mode; and a management apparatus connected to the image forming apparatus through a communication line, the method comprising: a first step of authenticating a user; a second step of for making an updating request for updating contents of a nonvolatile memory, which is provided in the image forming apparatus and stores various kinds of data; a third step of switching to the second mode when the management apparatus makes the updating request in the second step; a fourth step of transmitting data for updating the nonvolatile memory from the management apparatus when the image forming apparatus is set in the second mode in the third step; a fifth step of receiving the updating data transmitted from the management apparatus in the fourth step; a sixth step of storing the updating data received in the fifth step; and a seventh step of updating the contents of the nonvolatile memory on the basis of the updating data stored in the sixth step.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out hereinafter.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5893005 (1999-04-01), Ogura
patent: 5995771 (1999-11-01), Miyawaki
patent: 8-125794 (1996-05-01), None
Braun Fred L.
Foley & Lardner
Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
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