Remote program downloading system and apparatus
AssigneeMatsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
InventorsHirofumi Tanaka, Koichi Yasutake, Tetsuji Maeda
Life of this patent
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Abstract
For updating the entire region of the control software stored in the memory of the information terminal, the invention provides a system and apparatus for remote program downloading characterized by downloading a download process program exclusive for downloading process in a region indifferent to download process by using control software at the terminal, downloading the download process program portion of the control software to be updated by using this exclusive download process program, and finally, by using this download process program, downloading the program other than the download process program portion of the control software to be updated.
Claims10
A method of a remote program downloading system for updating control software of a terminal, wherein said control software includes a first program, said first program being a download process program, and a second program, said second program being another program and font data, said first program and said second program being stored in regions of EEPROM, and an updated control software includes a third program, said third program being a updated download process program and a fourth program said fourth program being another updated program and updated font data, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) downloading a temporary download process program directly into the EEPROM memory by using the first program and storing said temporary download process program in a memory region of the second program;
- (b) downloading the third program program directly into the EEPROM memory by using the temporary download process program and storing said third program in a memory region outside the memory region of the temporary download process program;
- and
- (c) downloading the fourth program directly into the EEPROM memory by using the third program and storing said fourth program in a memory region outside the memory region of the third program.
A remote program downloading apparatus for updating a control software of a terminal, wherein said control software includes a first program, said first program being a download process program and a second program, said second being program being another program and font data, said first program and said second program being stored in regions of EEPROM memory, and an updated control software includes a third program, said third program being an updated download process program and a fourth program, said fourth program being another updated program and updated font data, the apparatus comprising:
- data receiving means for receiving a data packet transmitted from a host system through a digital transmission channel;
- program acquiring means for interpreting said data packet, and acquiring from said data packet a program specified by state control means by using a download process program specified by state control means, and;
- program storing means for storing said program acquired from said data packet in a memory region specified by state control means;
- and
- issuing a completion of downloading signal after storing said program acquired from said data packet;
- state holding means for holding a downloading state while downloading a program;
- state control means for specifying a download process program and a program to be acquired to said program acquiring means, and a memory region to be used by said program storing means, according to said downloading state;
- in a first downloading state, specifying the first program as said download process program, the temporary download process program as said program to be acquired and a memory region of the second program as said memory region to be used,
- in a second downloading state, specifying the temporary download process program as said download process program, the third program as said program to be acquired and a memory region outside of the temporary download process program as said memory region to be used, and
- in a third downloading state, specifying the third program as said download process program, the fourth program as said program to be acquired and a memory region outside of the third program as said memory region to be used, and;
- in a normal state, specifying the fourth programs as said download process program and;
- download starting means for changing the downloading state in said state holding means from a normal state to a first downloading state, when accepting a starting request, and,
- to a second downloading state if the downloading state in said state holding means is a first downloading state,
- to a third downloading state if the downloading state in state holding means is a second downloading state, and
- to a normal state if the downloading state in said state holding means is a third downloading state when said completion of download signal is received from the program storing means, and,
- activating said program acquiring means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.