Electronic Apparatus Firmware Selection for User-Enabled Features
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Solution Overview
Problem
Updating firmware in electronic devices, such as multifunction peripherals, is complex for general users, and they often struggle to select desired functions for adding new features.
Innovation Solution
An electronic apparatus and information processing system that allows users to select and update firmware programs via a network, displaying a list of installable versions and enabling functionality of chosen firmware programs, either included in the list or not, through user input.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If firmware update processing is automated and made available to general users, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity increases due to the need to manage multiple firmware versions and functions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a server as an intermediary between the firmware developer and the user. The server stores multiple firmware versions and their associated function information, and transmits this information to the user terminal device. This mediator handles the complexity of firmware version management, allowing users to easily select and update firmware without directly dealing with the complex underlying version control mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the firmware update system into distinct components: the server that manages firmware versions and function information, the user terminal device that displays and receives user selections, and the electronic apparatus that performs the actual firmware update. This segmentation distributes the complexity across different system components, making the overall system easier to operate for end users.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple firmware versions with different functions are provided, then adaptability is improved, but difficulty of detecting and measuring increases due to the complexity of selecting desired functions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback by having the server transmit function information associated with each firmware version to the user terminal device for display. Users can review the functions provided by each firmware version before making a selection. This feedback loop allows users to make informed decisions about which firmware version to install, reducing the difficulty of function selection while maintaining high adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The user terminal device acts as an intermediary that receives firmware version and function information from the server, displays it in a user-friendly format, and transmits the user's selection back to the server. This intermediary simplifies the interface between the complex firmware options and the user, making function detection and selection easier while preserving adaptability.
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic apparatus for acquiring a program via a network, includes an input unit configured to receive a user operation, and circuitry configured to display, on a display, a list including a plurality of versions of firmware programs installable on the electronic apparatus, download a specific firmware program included in the list or a particular firmware program not included in the list, update a current firmware program being installed on the electronic apparatus with the downloaded specific firmware program or the particular firmware program; and enable function of the updated firmware program. When updating with the specific firmware program, in response to a designation operation, the circuitry enables functionality of the specific firmware program. When updating with the particular firmware program not included in the list, the circuitry enables functionality of the particular firmware program having the upgraded function version after updating the particular firmware program.