Firmware Status Acquisition via Cloud Application Download
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current maintenance management methods for image forming apparatuses, such as MFPs, face challenges in acquiring status information when the device is not operating, and existing solutions require updating firmware with each new function or extension, leading to increased data size and storage capacity needs.
Innovation Solution
An electronic apparatus with a system-control unit, storage device, and status-information-acquisition unit that downloads applications from a cloud server to acquire status information for extensions, transmits this information to a status-monitoring server, and deletes the applications, allowing for efficient status information collection without the need for firmware re-creation or increased storage capacity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If firmware is updated to include status information acquisition functions for each new extension, then status information can be acquired for all extensions, but firmware data size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the status information acquisition functions from the firmware and places them in separate application programs that are downloaded from a server. This allows the firmware to remain small while still enabling status information acquisition for multiple extensions through on-demand application downloads.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal framework in the firmware that can execute multiple different application programs. The framework provides common functionality for downloading, executing, and managing applications, allowing a single firmware base to support multiple extensions without needing to be updated for each new extension.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple applications are stored in the storage device to acquire status information for each extension, then all status information can be acquired, but storage capacity is consumed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts applications from the storage device and relocates them to an external server. The storage device only needs to temporarily hold applications during execution, while the majority of applications are stored remotely on the server, dramatically reducing local storage requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a server as an intermediary between the electronic apparatus and the applications. The server stores and manages the application library, acting as a mediator that provides applications on-demand without requiring the electronic apparatus to maintain a large local application repository.
3Productivity
If the monitoring server acquires status information periodically via network, then status information can be collected, but information cannot be acquired when the apparatus is not operating
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the traditional monitoring approach by having the electronic apparatus proactively transmit status information to the monitoring server, rather than the server passively querying the apparatus. This ensures status information is available and transmitted even when the apparatus is not actively being monitored or is in a low-power state.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is an electronic apparatus that, even when extensions increase, acquires status information in a short time, and suppresses an increase in capacity of a storage device that stores firmware. A status-information-acquisition unit executes applications that are stored in an HDD (storage device) and downloaded from a cloud server (application-providing server), and acquires status information of each of the extensions. A system-control unit transmits the status information to a status-monitoring server, and deletes applications that are stored in the HDD (storage device). As a result, it is not necessary to re-create firmware for acquiring status information of each of the respective extensions, and it is possible to suppress an increase in the data size of applications incorporated in the firmware.