Partial Program Updates for MFPs to Reduce Unusable Time
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Solution Overview
Problem
Multi-function peripherals (MFPs) experience extended downtime during program updates, making frequent updates undesirable due to the need to download and reboot, which can be time-consuming and inconvenient for shared devices.
Innovation Solution
An image forming apparatus and program updating system that communicates with a server to determine and download only the necessary update modules based on performance and update information, allowing for partial updates of the execution program without requiring a full reboot or extensive downtime.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the entire execution program is updated by downloading from a server, then the program can be fully updated with new functions and defect fixes, but the update time and apparatus unusable time are extended
Solution Approach 1:
The execution program is divided into multiple modules, and only the specific modules requiring updates are downloaded and replaced, rather than updating the entire program. This segmentation allows selective updating of individual modules, significantly reducing the update time and apparatus unusable time while maintaining complete functional updates.
Solution Approach 2:
The necessary update modules are extracted from the complete program package on the server and selectively downloaded to the apparatus, rather than transferring and installing the entire program. This extraction approach minimizes data transfer time and processing overhead, reducing the overall update duration.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the program is updated frequently to add new functions and fix defects, then the apparatus functionality is improved, but the frequency of updates increases causing more disruption to users
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the program into modular components, the system can update only the specific modules containing new functions or defect fixes rather than forcing a complete program re-download. This reduces update disruption and allows more frequent, less intrusive updates that maintain functionality improvements while minimizing user impact.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs partial updates by downloading and installing only the necessary modules rather than the complete program. This partial action approach provides sufficient functionality updates without the excessive action of full program replacement, reducing disruption and allowing more acceptable update frequencies.
3Reliability
If the apparatus is rebooted after program updates, then the updated program can be properly loaded and executed, but the total unusable time is extended due to both update and reboot periods
Solution Approach 1:
The program is segmented into modules that can be updated independently. By updating only specific modules rather than the entire program, the system reduces the amount of data that needs to be reloaded after update, thereby shortening the required reboot time and reducing total unusable time while maintaining execution reliability.
4Reliability
If the entire program is downloaded from the server, then all update modules are available for installation, but the download time and network bandwidth consumption are increased
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts and downloads only the specific update modules that are necessary, rather than downloading the entire program package from the server. This selective extraction and download approach ensures that all required update modules are available while significantly reducing download time and network bandwidth consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The complete program is segmented into multiple modules, and only the segments requiring updates are downloaded. This segmentation enables selective data transfer, ensuring update module availability while minimizing download time and network resource usage.
Data Source
AI summary
A multi-functional peripheral (MFP) can communicate with a server storing plural kinds of update programs together with update information including updated states of plural kinds of functions, and includes a flash memory to store an execution program, a function execution portion to execute the execution program and execute at least one of the functions, a performance storage portion, when any of the functions is executed, to store performance information regarding execution of the function in the flash memory, a determination portion to determine, based on the performance information and the update information stored in the server, an update target portion to be updated within the execution program and a target program for use in updating the execution program from among the update programs stored in the server, and an updating portion to update the update target portion of the execution program with the determined target program.