The present application is based on Patent Application No. 2000-27676 filed in Japan, the entire content of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system comprising a device such as a printer or the like, and peripheral devices connected thereto.
2. Description of the Related Art
Peripheral devices connected to a printer include scanner, mailbox, stapler and the like. When an old peripheral device is connected to a printer, the peripheral device may not operate, or functions may not be fully used after the printer version has been upgraded.
Rewritable CD-ROM which can be rewritten much like flash memory have become popular, and the firmware included in the printer and peripheral device can be freely rewritten by a modification means. In this way many devices incorporating firmware, not just limited to printers, may have their firmware later modified. Methods previously have been proposed for downloading firmware from an external device to update the firmware if the peripheral device has an old firmware version. For example, a printer system comprising a printer connected to an image processing device for processing image data received from a host is disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. H8-147171, and according to this method when control software is modified due to replacement of the image processing device or printer, control programs of a plurality of control boards within the printer are downloaded from the image processing device.
Devices incorporating firmware conventionally have been made as independent systems, and it was not contemplated that they would be used while interconnected. The method of the aforesaid firmware update pointedly refers to the update of a printer firmware version, and is limited to firmware having a clear master-slave relationship with the control boards in the printer. Firmware replaceability had not been contemplated. However, there are many advantages to the user when a device can be connected to peripheral devices, since the functions and performance of the device can be expanded. For example, a peripheral device such as a scanner used by a printer of a particular model may be connected to a printer of a different model. Furthermore, the mailbox of a new model printer may be used by connecting to the printer of the previous model.
On the other hand, the work of developing a common interface is not limited to printers, and is ongoing in a wide range of fields including personal computers (PC), PC peripheral devices, and consumer electronic products, and it has been suggested that all such devices will be interconnected in the future. Even most peripheral devices which have functioned independently up to now can be physically interconnected when they have a common hardware interface. Even when the hardware is connectable, problems arise insofar as firmware functions and control methods are not coordinated. Since the firmware of a device and its peripheral devices were not originally developed with the idea of connecting many devices, interconnectability is often a problem in practical terms. Further problems arise depending on the specifications and period of development of the other connected device. Accordingly, it is desirable to achieve functionality of combined devices other than devices for which such connection was considered beforehand.
An object of the present invention is to eliminate the previously described disadvantages.
Another object of the present invention is to provide suitable firmware version upgrades in a system comprising a device and peripheral devices connected thereto.
A further object of the present invention is to provide easy firmware version upgrades in a system comprising a device and peripheral devices connected thereto.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a system and method capable of interconnecting even combinations other than devices for which such connection was considered beforehand in a system comprising a device and at least one peripheral device connected thereto.
These and other objects are attained by a host device provided with a communications unit for exchanging information with a peripheral device having firmware (i.e., receiving the identification code of the peripheral device through the communication unit), a first memory for storing the identification code of the host device having firmware, a second memory for storing the firmware of the host device and the peripheral device, a discrimination unit for discriminating an optimum environment for operation of the combination of both devices based on both identification codes and the firmware stored in the second memory, and a controller for shunting firmware stored in the second memory with the firmware of a peripheral device or the host device in accordance with the discrimination result.
These objects of the present invention are further attained by a host device provided with a communications unit for exchanging information with a peripheral device having firmware (i.e., receiving the identification code of the peripheral device through the communication unit), a first memory for storing the identification code of the host device having firmware, a second memory for storing the firmware of the host device and the peripheral device, a first discrimination unit for discriminating whether or not both devices it is possible for the two devices to operate in combination, a second discrimination unit for discriminating whether or not operation is possible in firmware stored in the second memory when the first discrimination unit determines operation is not possible, and a controller for shunting stored firmware with the peripheral device or the host device when the second discrimination unit determines firmware is stored which makes operation possible.
The invention itself, together with further objects and attendant advantages, will be best understood by reference to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.