Firmware update method and electronic devices

Abstract

Apply the appropriate firmware according to the environment of the electronic device. [Solution] The processing unit 13 (a) updates the firmware to intermediate firmware 21a, (b) executes a firmware sorting function in the intermediate firmware 21a, and uses the firmware sorting function to (b1) identify the firmware for the image forming apparatus 1, (b2) determine whether the identified firmware contains a specific identifier 41, and (b3) if the identified firmware contains a specific identifier, it updates the firmware built into the image forming apparatus 1 with the identified firmware, and if the identified firmware does not contain a specific identifier 41, it prohibits updating the firmware built into the image forming apparatus 1 with the identified firmware.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a firmware update method and an electronic device.

Background Art

[0002] An information processing apparatus identifies firmware to be updated and firmware that does not need to be updated among the firmware in a firmware list based on the version information of the firmware in the firmware list (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In an electronic device, the firmware that can be updated (i.e., can operate normally) differs depending on the environment such as the hardware configuration. That is, for a certain model of an electronic device, a certain firmware is applicable to electronic devices in a specific environment, but there are some that cannot be applied to electronic devices that are not in such a specific environment even if they are of the same model.

[0005] Therefore, in the above-described information processing apparatus, even if the firmware that cannot be applied due to the environment such as the hardware configuration is determined to be firmware to be updated based on the version information as described above, it will be applied, and there is a possibility that it will not operate normally after the update.

[0006] This invention has been made in view of the above problems, and aims to provide a firmware update method and electronic device that apply appropriate firmware according to the environment of the electronic device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The firmware update method according to the present invention is a firmware update method for firmware built into an electronic device, comprising the steps of: updating the firmware to an intermediate firmware; executing a firmware sorting function in the intermediate firmware, and using the firmware sorting function to (a) identify firmware for the electronic device; (b) determine whether the identified firmware contains the identified identifier; and (c) if the identified firmware contains the identified identifier, update the firmware built into the electronic device with the identified firmware; and if the identified firmware does not contain the identified identifier, prohibit updating the firmware built into the electronic device with the identified firmware.

[0008] The electronic device according to the present invention comprises a storage device for storing firmware built into the electronic device and an arithmetic processing unit. The arithmetic processing unit (a) updates the firmware to intermediate firmware, (b) executes a firmware sorting function in the intermediate firmware, and based on the firmware sorting function, (b1) identifies the firmware for the electronic device, (b2) determines whether the identified firmware contains a specific identifier, and (b3) if the identified firmware contains the specific identifier, updates the firmware built into the electronic device with the identified firmware, and if the identified firmware does not contain the specific identifier, prohibits updating the firmware built into the electronic device with the identified firmware. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, a firmware update method and electronic device are obtained that apply appropriate firmware according to the environment of the electronic device.

[0010] The above or other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become even more apparent from the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0011] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a system including an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an image forming apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of the image forming apparatus 1 after firmware 21 has been updated with intermediate firmware 21a. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of the image forming apparatus 1 after the intermediate firmware 21a has been updated with specific firmware 21b. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a flowchart illustrating firmware updates based on intermediate firmware. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0012] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the figures.

[0013] Figure 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a system including an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the system shown in Figure 1, multiple image forming apparatuses 1 are connected to a network 2 such as a local area network. An image forming apparatus 1 is a device such as a multifunction printer and is a type of electronic device. Multiple image forming apparatuses 1 may have different built-in hardware environments. For example, one image forming apparatus 1 may be equipped with specific hardware described later, while another image forming apparatus 1 may not be equipped with such specific hardware.

[0014] Figure 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an image forming apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Each image forming apparatus 1 in Figure 1 is an apparatus that includes a communication device 11, a storage device 12, a processing unit 13, a printing device 14, an image reading device 15, a facsimile device 16, and the like, as shown in Figure 2.

[0015] The communication device 11 is a network interface or the like, which is connected to the network 2 and performs data communication using a predetermined protocol.

[0016] The storage device 12 is a non-volatile and rewritable storage device that stores the firmware 21 and boot program 22 built into the image forming apparatus 1. For example, the firmware 21 includes the controller program and various data, as well as the boot program 22. The boot program 22 is a program that is executed when the image forming apparatus 1 is started up.

[0017] The arithmetic processing unit 13 is a computer having a CPU (Central Processing Unit), ROM (Read Only Memory), and RAM (Random Access Memory), and it forms various processing units by loading programs (such as firmware 21) stored in the ROM and storage device 12 into the RAM and executing them with the CPU.

[0018] In the arithmetic processing unit 13, when the controller program in the firmware 21 is executed, the arithmetic processing unit 13 operates as a controller including a firmware update processing unit 31. The controller executes various processes and controls internal devices such as a printing device 14, an image reading device 15, and a facsimile device 16.

[0019] Note that the printing device 14 prints an image based on print data received from an external device, an image read by the image reading device 15, an image generated by the facsimile device 16, and the like. The image reading device 15 optically reads a document image from a document and generates image data of the document image. The facsimile device 16 generates and transmits a facsimile signal based on an image based on print data received from an external device, an image read by the image reading device 15, and the like, and receives a facsimile signal from the outside and generates an image from the facsimile signal.

[0020] FIG. 3 is a block diagram for explaining the configuration of the image forming apparatus 1 after the firmware 21 is updated to the intermediate firmware 21a. FIG. 4 is a block diagram for explaining the configuration of the image forming apparatus 1 after the intermediate firmware 21a is updated to the specific firmware 21b.

[0021] In the arithmetic processing unit 13 of the image forming apparatus 1 in a specific environment (for example, specific hardware is installed), (a) the firmware 21 is updated to the intermediate firmware 21a, and (b) the firmware classification function in the intermediate firmware 21a is executed. By the firmware classification function, (b1) the firmware for the image forming apparatus 1 is specified based on the model, firmware version information, etc., (b2) it is determined whether the specified firmware includes the specific identifier 41, and (b3) when the specified firmware includes the specific identifier 41, the firmware built in the image forming apparatus 1 (here, the intermediate firmware 21a) is updated with the specified firmware (specific firmware 21b), and when the specified firmware does not include the specific identifier 41, updating the firmware built in the image forming apparatus 1 (here, the intermediate firmware 21a) with the specified firmware is prohibited.

[0022] Specifically, the firmware update processing unit 31 based on the original firmware 21 updates the firmware 21 stored in the storage device 12 to the intermediate firmware 21a, for example, as shown in FIG. 3. Note that the firmware 21 does not have a firmware classification function.

[0023] Next, the firmware update processing unit 31a based on the intermediate firmware 21a updates the intermediate firmware 21a stored in the storage device 12 to the specific firmware 21b including the specific identifier 41, for example, as shown in FIG. 4.

[0024] Note that the firmware update processing unit 31b based on the specific firmware 21b updates the specific firmware 21b stored in the storage device 12 to another firmware 21b including the specific identifier 41. That is, it is not updated to another firmware that does not include the specific identifier 41.

[0025] The firmware update processing units 31, 31a, and 31b may automatically download update firmware (intermediate firmware 21a, specific firmware 21b, etc.) from the management server 3 or the like, and automatically update the firmware 21 stored in the storage device 12 with the downloaded update firmware, or they may update it based on operations by a user, service person, or the like.

[0026] Firmware containing the specific identifier 41 (specific firmware 21b) executes processing using specific hardware built into the image forming apparatus 1, while firmware that does not contain the specific identifier 41 does not execute processing using specific hardware built into the image forming apparatus 1.

[0027] For example, the specific hardware is a Trusted Platform Module (TPM), the specific firmware 21b contains a boot program 22a, and the boot program 22a is a program that performs secure boot using the TPM. Furthermore, the firmware containing the specific identifier 41 (specific firmware 21b) has a firmware differentiation function. Note that the boot program 22 does not perform secure boot.

[0028] Next, the operation of the image forming apparatus 1 will be described. Figure 5 is a flowchart illustrating the firmware update based on the intermediate firmware 21a.

[0029] The firmware 21 originally built into the image forming apparatus 1 does not have a firmware differentiation function. When specific hardware is installed in the image forming apparatus 1, firmware 21 is first updated to intermediate firmware 21a, which has a firmware differentiation function. For example, when specific hardware is installed, firmware 21 is updated to intermediate firmware 21a.

[0030] Subsequently, the firmware sorting function in the intermediate firmware 21a is executed. The firmware sorting function then identifies (a) the firmware for the image forming apparatus 1 (update firmware) (step S1), and (b) determines whether the identified firmware contains the specific identifier 41 (step S2).

[0031] If the identified firmware contains the identified identifier 41, the firmware built into the image forming apparatus 1 is updated with the identified firmware (step S3).

[0032] On the other hand, if the identified firmware does not contain the identified identifier 41, it is prohibited to update the firmware built into the image forming apparatus 1 with the identified firmware (step S4).

[0033] As a result, even if the image forming apparatus 1 is the same model, the specific firmware 21b will not be installed on the image forming apparatus 1 that does not have the specific hardware installed.

[0034] As described above, according to the above embodiment, the storage device 12 stores the firmware 21 built into the image forming apparatus 1. The processing unit 13 (a) updates the firmware 21 to intermediate firmware 21a, (b) executes a firmware sorting function in the intermediate firmware 21a, and by the firmware sorting function, (b1) identifies the firmware for the image forming apparatus 1, (b2) determines whether the identified firmware contains a specific identifier 41, and (b3) if the identified firmware contains a specific identifier (i.e., it is specific firmware 21b), updates the firmware built into the image forming apparatus 1 with the identified firmware, and if the identified firmware does not contain a specific identifier 41, prohibits updating the firmware built into the image forming apparatus 1 with the identified firmware.

[0035] This ensures that appropriate firmware is applied according to the environment of the image forming apparatus 1, such as the status of specific hardware installation.

[0036] Furthermore, various changes and modifications to the embodiments described above will be obvious to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications may be made without deviating from the spirit and scope of the subject matter and without diminishing the intended advantages. In other words, such changes and modifications are intended to be included in the claims. [Industrial applicability]

[0037] The present invention can be applied, for example, to electronic devices that have built-in and updatable firmware. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0038] 1. Image forming apparatus (an example of electronic equipment) 13 Arithmetic Processing Unit 21 Firmware 21a Intermediate Firmware 21b Specific firmware 41. Specific Identifier

Claims

1. In a method for updating the firmware of firmware built into electronic devices, The steps include updating the aforementioned firmware to the intermediate firmware, The intermediate firmware performs a firmware sorting function, and the firmware sorting function determines whether (a) the firmware for the electronic device is identified, (b) whether the identified firmware contains the identified identifier, and (c) if the identified firmware contains the identified identifier, the firmware built into the electronic device is updated with the identified firmware, and if the identified firmware does not contain the identified identifier, the firmware built into the electronic device is prohibited from being updated with the identified firmware. A firmware update method characterized by comprising the following features.

2. A storage device that stores firmware embedded in an electronic device, It comprises a processing unit, The arithmetic processing unit (a) updates the firmware to intermediate firmware, (b) executes a firmware sorting function in the intermediate firmware, and by the firmware sorting function (b1) identifies the firmware for the electronic device, (b2) determines whether the identified firmware contains a specific identifier, and (b3) if the identified firmware contains the specific identifier, updates the firmware built into the electronic device with the identified firmware, and if the identified firmware does not contain the specific identifier, prohibits updating the firmware built into the electronic device with the identified firmware. Electronic devices characterized by the following:

3. The firmware containing the aforementioned specific identifier performs processing that uses specific hardware. Firmware that does not include the aforementioned specific identifier will not perform any processing that uses the aforementioned specific hardware. The electronic device according to claim 2, characterized by the above.

4. The electronic device according to claim 3, characterized in that the aforementioned specific hardware is a trusted platform module.

5. The electronic device according to claim 2, wherein the firmware containing the specified identifier is equipped with the firmware sorting function.

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