Non-Volatile Storage Partitioning for Initialization History Preservation

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional methods for initializing a device by resetting it to factory default settings fail to distinguish between user data and factory default data, making it impossible to differentiate the device from a new product post-data erasure.

Innovation Solution

The solution involves managing a non-volatile storage device with multiple partitions, saving user history data, erasing specific partitions, recreating those partitions, and writing initial setting data and user history data to the recreated partitions, ensuring that user data, such as the total number of printed sheets, is preserved and restored correctly.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If all data in the non-volatile storage device is returned to factory default settings during initialization, then the device can be reset to original state, but it becomes impossible to discriminate between initialized devices and new products

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice initializationVSAvoiduse history data

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The storage device is divided into multiple partitions: a first partition for setting data and a second partition for use history data. During initialization, only the first partition is formatted while the second partition is preserved, allowing the device to be reset without losing use history information.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Use history data is extracted from the first partition and stored in a separate second partition before initialization. This extraction allows the initialization process to clear the first partition while preserving the use history in the second partition.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Reliability

If user data is completely erased during initialization, then security is improved, but useful information like total printed sheets is lost

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata securityVSAvoiduse history data

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The storage device is divided into multiple partitions: a first partition for setting data and a second partition for use history data. During initialization, only the first partition is formatted while the second partition is preserved, allowing the device to be reset without losing use history information.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Use history data is preliminarily saved from the first partition to the second partition before the initialization process begins. This preliminary action ensures that the data is preserved before being overwritten during initialization.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Productivity

If the storage device is formatted to factory defaults, then initialization is complete, but the device cannot be distinguished from a new product

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinitialization speedVSAvoiduse history data

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The storage device is divided into multiple partitions: a first partition for setting data and a second partition for use history data. During initialization, only the first partition is formatted while the second partition is preserved, allowing the device to be reset without losing use history information.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Use history data is preliminarily saved from the first partition to the second partition before the initialization process begins. This preliminary action ensures that the data is preserved before being overwritten during initialization.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS9930207B2Information processing apparatus, method of initializing a non-volatile storage device, and storage medium

Publication Date: 2018.03.27 CANON KK

AI summary

There are provided an information processing apparatus including a non-volatile storage device, and a method of initializing the non-volatile storage device. The non-volatile storage device is managed by a plurality of partitions. When an instruction to initialize the non-volatile storage device is issued, data indicating a use history of the information processing apparatus is saved from a first partition storing the setting data and the data indicating the use history. A Partition which includes data subjected to the initialization is erased. The same partition as that before the erasure is created in the erased area. Setting data, which is stored in the storage unit storing an initial value of the setting data, and the saved data indicating the use history are written in the first partition of the created partitions.