US 9,807,268 B2Granted

Image forming apparatus having firmware update function, method of controlling the same, program for executing the method, and storage medium

AssigneeCanon Kabushiki Kaisha

InventorAkari Yasukawa

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Abstract

An image forming apparatus which is started in a plurality of modes and improved in reliability of the firmware update function. An image forming apparatus includes a storage unit that stores standard firmware for a normal operation and safe firmware for updating the standard firmware, in respective different storage areas. A standard firmware update section updates the standard firmware. Proper operations of the standard firmware update section and the safe firmware update section are verified before updating them, respectively. When the verification of the operation of the standard firmware update section is successful, the standard updating section is caused to perform the update of the standard firmware. When the verification of the operation of the safe firmware update section is successful, the safe firmware update section is caused to perform the update of the safe firmware.

Claims11

Dependent claims

An image forming apparatus comprising:

a storage unit that stores (i) a first firmware including a control program for controlling at least an image processing of the image forming apparatus and an update control program for controlling update of a second firmware, with (ii) the second firmware controlling update of the control program in the first firmware;
a first update unit configured to update the control program in the first firmware for controlling at least the image processing in the image forming apparatus;
a first verification unit configured to verify, by performing a first verification program, whether or not the second firmware has been tampered with, before updating the first firmware;
a first control unit configured to cause the first update unit to perform the update of the first firmware in a case where it is verified that the second firmware has not been tampered with;
a second update unit configured to update the second firmware used in the updating of the first firmware;
a second verification unit configured to verify, by performing a second verification program, whether or not the update control program has been tampered with, before updating the second firmware;
and
a second control unit configured to cause the second update unit to perform the update of the second firmware in a case where it is verified that the update control program has not been tampered with.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 15/024,554Filed 11 Nov 2014
Priority: JP 2013-23692715 Nov 2013
Published: US 2016/0234396 A111 Aug 2016
Granted: 31 Oct 2017
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification12 codes

H04N 1/00973
Input arrangements for operating instructions or parameters, e.g. updating internal software: from a remote device, e.g. receiving via the…
B41J 29/38
Details of, or accessories for, typewriters or selective printing mechanisms not otherwise provided for: drives, motors, controls or automatic…
G06F 3/123
Printer resources management or printer maintenance, e.g. device status, power levels: software or firmware update, e.g. device firmware management
G06F 3/1288
Remote printer device, e.g. being remote from client or server: in client-server-printer device configuration