Printing apparatus, printing apparatus control method, and storage medium

A method of controlling a printing apparatus, which can be connected to plural option units, the printing apparatus having a booting unit configured to boot the printing apparatus, a printer, a network interface circuit configured to receive at least one printer update program for updating a control program for controlling an operation of the printing apparatus, and to receive plural update programs for updating control programs each of which controls an operation of one of plural option units, a connection interface circuit configured to connect an option unit to the printing apparatus, the option unit including a memory for storing a control program for controlling an operation of the option unit, a storage memory, and an update unit, the method comprising:

• storing in the storage unit a control program for controlling the operation of the printing apparatus, the received printer update program for updating the control program for controlling the operation of the printing apparatus and the received plural update programs for updating the control programs each of which controls the operation of one of plural option units, wherein the storage memory already has stored the received printer update program for updating the control program for controlling the operation of the printing apparatus and the received plural update programs for updating the control programs each of which controls the operation of one of plural option units before one of the option units is connected to the connection interface circuit;
• detecting that the option unit in the plural option units has been connected to the connection interface circuit;
• and
• updating, by selecting and using one update program corresponding to the detected option unit from the received plural update programs stored by the storage memory, the control program stored in the memory of the detected option unit in a case where the detecting unit has detected that the option unit has been connected to the connection interface circuit and the booting unit has booted the printing apparatus after the option unit has been connected to the connection interface circuit,
• wherein the update unit does not perform update process using an update program corresponding to an option unit which is not detected, and
• wherein the option unit is any one of a facsimile unit, a folding machine unit, a punch unit, and a saddle stitch binding unit which performs a finishing process to be performed on sheets printed by the printer.

A computer-readable non-transitory storage medium that stores a program of instructions, the program of instructions capable of causing a computer to perform a method of controlling a printing apparatus, which can be connected to plural option units, the printing apparatus having a booting unit configured to boot the printing apparatus, a printer, a network interface circuit configured to receive at least one printer update program for updating a control program for controlling an operation of the printing apparatus, and to receive plural update programs for updating control programs each of which controls an operation of one of plural option units, a connection interface circuit configured to connect an option unit to the printing apparatus, the option unit including a memory for storing a control program for controlling an operation of the option unit, a storage memory, and an update unit, the method comprising:

• storing in the storage unit a control program for controlling the operation of the printing apparatus, the received printer update program for updating the control program for controlling the operation of the printing apparatus and the received plural update programs for updating the control programs each of which controls the operation of one of plural option units, wherein the storage memory already has stored the received printer update program for updating the control program for controlling the operation of the printing apparatus and the received plural update programs for updating the control programs each of which controls the operation of one of plural option units before one of the option units is connected to the connection interface circuit;
• detecting that the option unit in the plural option units has been connected to the connection interface circuit;
• and
• updating, by selecting and using one update program corresponding to the detected option unit from the received plural update programs stored by the storage memory, the control program stored in the memory of the detected option unit in a case where the detecting unit has detected that the option unit has been connected to the connection interface circuit and the booting unit has booted the printing apparatus after the option unit has been connected to the connection interface circuit,
• wherein the update unit does not perform update process using an update program corresponding to an option unit which is not detected, and
• wherein the option unit is any one of a facsimile unit, a folding machine unit, a punch unit, and a saddle stitch binding unit which performs a finishing process to be performed on sheets printed by the printer.

A printing apparatus, which can be connected to plural option units, the printing apparatus comprising:

• a printer;
• a connection interface circuit configured to connect an option unit to the printing apparatus, the option unit including a memory for storing a control program for controlling operation of the option unit;
• a network interface circuit configured to receive at least one printer update program for updating a control program for controlling an operation of the printing apparatus and plural update programs for updating control programs each of which controls an operation of one of plural option units;
• at least one memory storing instructions for execution by at least one processor and storing a control program for controlling an operation of the printing apparatus, a printer update program for updating the control program for controlling the operation of the printing apparatus and plural update programs for updating the control programs each of which controls an operation of one of plural option units, wherein the at least one memory has already stored the update program before one of the plural option units is connected to the connection interface circuit;
• and
• the at least one processor, operable when executing the instructions to:
• boot the printing apparatus;
• detect that the option unit has been connected to the connection interface circuit;
• and
• update, using the printer update program stored by the at least one memory, the control program for controlling the operation of the printing apparatus in a case where the booting unit has booted the printing apparatus and to update the control program in the memory of the detected option unit by selecting one of the update programs, corresponding to the detected option unit, from the received plural update programs for updating the control programs, in a case where it has been detected that the option unit has been connected to the connection interface circuit and the printing apparatus has been booted after the option unit has been connected to the connection interface circuit,
• wherein the option unit is any one of a facsimile unit, a folding machine unit, a punch unit, and a saddle stitch binding unit which performs finishing process to be performed on sheets printed by the printer.