Firmware Update Control Unit for Image Forming Apparatus
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing firmware update systems for image forming apparatuses are costly and inefficient, particularly when updating multiple devices, as they often lead to server overload and inconvenient update times due to synchronized confirmation times.
Innovation Solution
An update control unit within the image forming apparatus that sets a confirmation time for firmware updates, shifts the actual confirmation time, downloads applicable firmware if available, stores it, and applies the update at a designated time, thereby reducing server load and allowing updates at user-convenient times.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple image forming apparatuses are configured to confirm firmware availability at the same confirmation time, then firmware updates can be performed uniformly across all devices, but the server will be heavily loaded and communication efficiency will deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the confirmation time into multiple time slots and divides apparatuses into groups that confirm firmware availability at different times. This segmentation prevents all apparatuses from accessing the server simultaneously, thereby reducing server load while maintaining systematic firmware update management.
2Ease of operation
If firmware confirmation time is uniformly set for all apparatuses, then management operations are simplified, but update timing cannot be coordinated with user convenience
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces dynamic adjustment of confirmation times for different apparatus groups. While the management side maintains simple uniform settings, the system dynamically shifts actual confirmation times based on group assignments, enabling coordination with user convenience without complicating management operations.
3Reliability
If manual firmware updating by service persons is performed, then update reliability can be ensured, but labor cost and time consumption increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables image forming apparatuses to autonomously check for firmware updates and download them automatically. The apparatuses self-manage the update process by communicating with the server at their assigned times, eliminating the need for manual service person intervention while maintaining reliable updates.
Data Source
AI summary
A confirmation time at which confirmation processing for confirming whether firmware applicable to an image forming apparatus is managed by a delivery server and an application time at which the firmware is applied to the image forming apparatus are set in advance by an operation unit of the image forming apparatus, and an update control unit performs the confirmation processing at an actual confirmation time which is acquired by shifting the confirmation time, and if firmware applicable to the image forming apparatus is managed by the delivery server, the firmware is downloaded from the delivery server, and the firmware is stored in a storage device, and the update control unit applies the stored firmware to the image forming apparatus at the application time.