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US 8,510,488 B2Granted
Function control apparatus and function control method
AssigneeRicoh Company, Ltd.
InventorMutsumi Namba
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A transmission control unit transmits function specifying information for specifying a function to be executed. A function control unit executes a first function specified by the function specifying information. A connecting unit, when an additional function control unit that executes a second function specified according to the function specifying information is connected between the transmission control unit and the function control unit, transmits the function specifying information to the additional function control unit, and when it is disconnected, transmits the function specifying information to the function control unit.
Claims18
A function control apparatus, comprising:
- a transmission control unit to transmit function specifying information for specifying whether a function to be executed should be set to active or inactive;
- a function control unit to execute a first function that is set to active according to the function specifying information;
- a connecting unit operatively connecting the transmission control unit and the function control unit;
- an additional function control unit to execute a second function that is set to active according to the function specifying information;
- a central processing unit that is operatively connected to the function control unit and includes software;
- and
- a memory onto which the software can be loaded;
- wherein the additional function control unit is configured to be connected to and disconnected from the connecting unit,
- wherein the first function that is set to active according to the function specifying information contains a common function common to the second function that is set to active according to the function specifying information,
- wherein when the additional function control unit is connected to the connecting unit,
- the transmission control unit transmits the function specifying information to the additional function control unit via the connecting unit,
- the additional function control unit generates limited-function specifying information for setting, from active to inactive, the common function contained in the first function, and transmits the limited-function specifying information to the function control unit to thereby deactivate the common function contained in the first function, and
- the software judges that the common function is not present in the function control unit when the function control unit receives the limited-function specifying information, and does not load an application module corresponding to the common function onto the memory, and
- wherein when the additional function control unit is disconnected from the connecting unit, the transmission control unit transmits the function specifying information to the function control unit via the connecting unit.
11 more elements
A function control method, comprising:
- transmitting function specifying information for specifying whether a function to be executed should be set to active or inactive;
- executing a first function that is set to active according to the function specifying information;
- executing a second function that is set to active according to the function specifying information;
- and
- operatively connecting a unit to transmit the function specifying information and a unit to execute the first function that is set to active via a connecting unit;
- wherein a unit to execute the second function that is set to active is configured to be connected to and disconnected from the connecting unit,
- wherein the first function that is set to active according to the function specifying information contains a common function common to the second function that is set to active according to the function specifying information,
- wherein when the unit to execute the second function is connected to the connecting unit,
- the unit to transmit the function specifying information transmits the function specifying information to the unit to execute the second function via the connecting unit,
- the unit to execute the second function generates limited-function specifying information for setting, from active to inactive, the common function contained in the first function, and transmits the limited-function specifying information to the unit to execute the first function that is set to active to thereby deactivate the common function contained in the first function, and
- software of a central processing unit, operatively connected to the unit to execute the first function, judges that the common function is not present in the unit to execute the first function when the unit to execute the first function receives the limited-function specifying information, and does not load an application module corresponding to the common function onto a memory of the central processing unit, and
- wherein when the unit to execute the second function that is set to active is disconnected from the connecting unit, the unit to transmit the function specifying information transmits the function specifying information to the unit to execute the first function via the connecting unit.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.