Firmware Update Control for Image Forming Apparatus

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing image forming apparatuses lack consideration for their status during firmware updates, leading to potential updates at unintended times or failure due to factors like power-off or ongoing jobs, affecting user convenience.

Innovation Solution

An image forming apparatus with a receiver for remote update instructions, a display for operation screens, and a controller that adjusts display content and update timing based on the apparatus's status, ensuring updates occur at intended times and preventing interruptions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Extent of automation

If firmware update is performed based on remote update instruction without considering apparatus status, then update automation is improved, but update reliability deteriorates due to unintended updates during power-off or ongoing jobs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefirmware update automationVSAvoidupdate reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Extent of automationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts update execution based on real-time apparatus status. The controller monitors whether the apparatus is in a usable state (job execution, power status) and dynamically determines whether to execute or delay the firmware update, making the update process adaptive rather than static.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback by continuously monitoring apparatus status (power state, job execution state) and using this information to control update execution. The controller receives status information and feeds it back into the update decision-making process to determine appropriate update timing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Speed

If firmware update is executed without checking apparatus status, then update speed is improved, but user convenience deteriorates due to interruptions during job execution

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveupdate speedVSAvoiduser convenience

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary checking of apparatus status (power state, job execution state) before executing the firmware update. This preliminary action prevents updates from being executed at inappropriate times, avoiding interruptions to users and ensuring updates occur only when the apparatus is idle and powered on.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Speed

If update instruction is always executed as received, then system responsiveness is improved, but update precision deteriorates due to inability to control timing based on apparatus status

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem responsivenessVSAvoidupdate timing precision

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts update execution based on real-time apparatus status. The controller monitors whether the apparatus is in a usable state (job execution, power status) and dynamically determines whether to execute or delay the firmware update, making the update process adaptive rather than static.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback by continuously monitoring apparatus status (power state, job execution state) and using this information to control update execution. The controller receives status information and feeds it back into the update decision-making process to determine appropriate update timing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS20240311133A1Image forming apparatus, firmware update method, and system

Publication Date: 2024.09.19 SHARP KK

AI summary

According to an embodiment, an image forming apparatus includes: a communication device which receives a remotely-given update instruction to update firmware; a display device which displays an operation screen; and a processor which controls processing related to an update of the firmware, and the processor controls, on the basis of the update instruction that has been received, display contents of the operation screen displayed by the display device or an update start timing of the firmware, according to the apparatus status at the time of the update.