Image processing apparatus, distribution server, management server, and computer readable storage medium

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10146523-B2
Application number	US-201615079491-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 24, 2016
Priority date	Mar 31, 2015
Publication date	Dec 4, 2018
Grant date	Dec 4, 2018

Abstract

An image processing apparatus is provided. Firmware customized for a user who uses the image processing apparatus has been installed in advance in the image processing apparatus. The image processing apparatus has a hardware processor configured to monitor a condition of use of the image processing apparatus and determine whether or not the monitored condition of use is a condition of use adapted to the customized firmware, and to perform processing for updating to the latest standard firmware when it is determined that the monitored condition of use departs from the condition of use adapted to the customized firmware.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An image processing apparatus in which firmware customized for a user who uses the image processing apparatus has been installed in advance, said image processing apparatus comprising:
a hardware processor; and
a network interface controller (NIC), wherein
said hardware processor is configured to:
monitor a condition of use of the image processing apparatus;
determine whether the monitored condition of use is a condition of use associated with the customized firmware customized to an environment of use of the image processing apparatus;
in response to determining that the monitored condition of use departs from the condition of use associated with the customized firmware, instruct the NIC to notify a firmware distribution server to cancel the environment of use of the customized firmware,

indicating the monitored condition of use of the image processing apparatus;
download, from the firmware distribution server, a latest standard firmware common to all image processing apparatuses; and
update the customized firmware to the latest standard firmware in the image processing apparatus.

2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an image formation unit for forming an image on a recording medium, wherein the hardware processor is further configured to detect an amount of consumption of a consumer item consumed by the image formation unit and to issue a warning when the detected amount of consumption is out of a prescribed range, and an amount of consumption of the consumer item under a condition of issuance of the warning by the customized firmware is smaller than an amount of consumption of the consumer item under a condition of issuance of the warning by a standard firmware of the customized firmware.

3. The image processing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein
the amount of consumption is an amount of consumption of toner in a toner cartridge used by the image formation unit,
the warning is issued when the detected amount of consumption is equal to or greater than a prescribed amount, and
the customized firmware has the warning issued, with an amount of consumption of toner being smaller than an amount of consumption of toner associated with the standard firmware.

4. The image processing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein
the amount of consumption is an amount of consumption of a recording medium stored in a storing portion storing the recording medium,
the warning is issued when the detected amount of consumption is equal to or greater than a prescribed amount, and
the customized firmware has the warning issued, with an amount of consumption of the recording medium being smaller than an amount of consumption of the recording medium associated with the standard firmware.

5. The image processing apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein
the storing portion stores two or more types of recording media,
the hardware processor detects an amount of consumption of each of the two or more types of recording media,
the warning is issued when the amount of consumption of each of the two or more types of recording media is equal to or greater than an amount set in advance for each amount of consumption, and
the customized firmware has the warning issued for some recording media of the two or more types of recording media, with an amount of consumption of the recording medium being smaller than an amount of consumption of the recording medium associated with the standard firmware.

6. The image processing apparatus according to claim 5 , having a facsimile communication function, wherein
the some recording media include a recording medium used for recording of information received for the facsimile communication function.

7. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , comprising an image formation unit for forming an image on a recording medium, wherein the hardware processor is further configured to perform stabilization processing in formation of an image by the image formation unit, and a frequency of the stabilization processing by the customized firmware is different from a frequency of the stabilization processing by a standard firmware of the customized firmware.

8. The image processing apparatus according to claim 7 , further comprising:
a storing portion for storing two or more types of recording media;
a color image formation unit for forming a color image; and
a monochrome image formation unit for forming a monochrome image, wherein
the frequency of the stabilization processing by the customized firmware is higher than the frequency of the stabilization processing in the color image formation unit by the standard firmware.

9. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , comprising a plurality of hardware modules for image processing, wherein the customized firmware and the latest standard firmware are software for implementing one function by using the plurality of hardware modules.

10. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the hardware processor is configured to notify a management server managing the image processing apparatus of the result of the determination.

11. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the hardware processor is further configured to request the firmware distribution server for the downloading of the latest standard firmware.

12. A distribution server for updating a customized firmware installed in an image processing apparatus, said distribution server comprising:
a hardware processor; and
a network interface controller (NIC), wherein the hardware processor is configured to:
receive an environment cancellation notification from the image processing apparatus, indicating a condition of use of the image processing apparatus which monitors the condition of use of the image processing apparatus, determines whether the monitored condition of use is a condition of use associated with the customized firmware customized to an environment of use of the image processing apparatus, and in response to determining that the monitored condition of use departs from the condition of use associated with the customized firmware, notifies the distribution server to cancel the environment of use of the customized firmware;
in response to receiving the environment cancellation notification, transmit, via the NIC, to the image processing apparatus, a latest standard firmware common to all image processing apparatuses for updating the image processing apparatus, wherein the image processing apparatus updates the customized firmware to the latest standard firmware in the image processing apparatus.

13. The distribution server according to claim 12 , wherein
the hardware processor is configured to transmit, when it is determined that a plurality of image processing apparatuses registered in advance depart from the condition of use, the latest standard firmware to the plurality of the image processing apparatuses.

14. The distribution server according to claim 13 , wherein the image processing apparatus has an image formation unit for forming an image on a recording medium, the hardware processor of the image processing apparatus is configured to detect an amount of consumption of a consumer item consumed by the image formation unit and to have the image processing apparatus issue a warning when the detected amount of consumption is out of a prescribed range, and an amount of consumption of the consumer item under a condition of issuance of the warning by the customized firmware is smaller than an amount of consumption of the consumer item under a condition of issuance of th

Assignees

• Konica Minolta Inc

Inventors

• Kawamura Yuji
• Kurumasa Yoichi
• Kawabata Mie
• Nagatani Kentaro
• Kunioka Jun
• Sugiura Hiroshi

Classifications

• H04N2201/0094

  Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception · CPC title

• H04N1/00344

  with a management, maintenance, service or repair apparatus (monitoring H04N1/00002) · CPC title

• H04N1/00015

  Reproducing apparatus · CPC title

• H04N1/00962

  Input arrangements for operating instructions or parameters, e.g. updating internal software (program loading in general G06F9/445; network-specific protocols involving the movement of software or configuration parameters H04L67/34) · CPC title

• H04N1/00912

  Arrangements for controlling a still picture apparatus or components thereof not otherwise provided for · CPC title