JP2002006416A - Photo processing system and photo processing apparatus version upgrade method - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Problem] To provide a photo processing system and a method of upgrading the photo processing device, which can provide a photo processing device with files necessary for version upgrade without excess or shortage. A host computer transmits version upgrade software to a photo processing apparatus. In the photo processing device 14, the version upgrade software is started, and a file required for the version upgrade is requested to the host computer 12 according to the state of the photo processing device 14. Then, only the file requested by the photo processing device 14 is transmitted from the host computer 12 to the photo processing device 14. When the photo processing device 14 receives all the files required for the version upgrade, the photo processing device 14 is upgraded based on the received files.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a photographic processing system and a method for upgrading a photographic processing apparatus.
More specifically, the present invention relates to a photographic processing system and a photographic processing apparatus version upgrade method using a communication network.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 4 shows a conventional example of a method for upgrading a photographic processing apparatus connected to a host computer via a communication line. First, the operator of the host computer grasps the model of the photographic processing apparatus to be upgraded, the state of peripheral devices, and the version of software from the customer ledger or the like, and determines a prescribed number of files necessary for the version upgrade. The file is transmitted from the host computer to the photo processing device using the communication line (step S1). When the specified number of transmitted files are received by the photo processing device (step S3), various units of the photo processing device are upgraded based on the received files (step S3).
5).

[0003] Such a method using a communication network is very useful for maintenance since a photographic processing apparatus at a remote place can be upgraded. On the other hand,
The host computer will upgrade the photo processing device in the absence of a serviceman.
Accurately recognizes and transmits the necessary files according to the model of the photo processing device to be upgraded, the status of peripheral devices, and the software version, and the photo processing device also knows the files required for the version upgrade There is a need.

[0004]

However, since the type of the photographic processing apparatus, the state of the peripheral device, and the version of the software are different for each photographic processing apparatus, the host computer and the photographic processing apparatus can accurately determine an infinite number of combinations. It is difficult to recognize such a file, and in some cases, a file necessary and sufficient for the version upgrade is not transmitted from the host computer to the photo processing apparatus. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, a main object of the present invention is to provide a photographic processing system and a photographic processing apparatus upgrade method which can provide a photographic processing apparatus with files necessary for upgrading without any shortage.

[0005]

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a photographic processing system comprising: a host computer; a photographic processing apparatus; and a communication line for connecting the host computer to the photographic processing apparatus. The host computer includes means for transmitting the software for upgrading the photo processing device to the photo processing device, and means for transmitting the file requested by the photo processing device to the photo processing device. It includes means for requesting the host computer for a file necessary for upgrading the photo processing device using the upgrade software, and means for upgrading the photo processing device based on the file required for upgrading. A method for upgrading a photographic processing apparatus according to claim 2,
A method for upgrading a photo processing device connected to a host computer via a communication line, wherein a first step of transmitting software for upgrading the photo processing device from the host computer to the photo processing device, the photo processing device being upgraded Requesting files required for version upgrade from host computer using software
Step, a third step of transmitting a file necessary for version upgrade from the host computer to the photo processing apparatus, and a fourth step of version upgrading the photo processing apparatus based on the file required for version upgrade.

In the photographic processing system according to the first aspect,
The version upgrade software transmitted from the host computer is activated in the photo processing device, and a file required for the version upgrade is requested from the host computer according to the state of the photo processing device. Then, only the requested file is transmitted from the host computer to the photo processing device. When all the files required for the upgrade are received by the photo processing device, the photo processing device is upgraded based on the received file. As described above, since the photo processing apparatus recognizes the file necessary for the version upgrade and receives only the file from the host computer, the necessary file can be obtained without excess or shortage. Therefore, it is possible to safely and appropriately upgrade the version of the photo processing device. The same applies to the method of upgrading the photographic processing device according to the second aspect.

[0007]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Referring to FIG. 1, a photographic processing system 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a host computer 12 and a photographic processing device 14, and the host computer 12 and the photographic processing device 14 are connected to a communication line 16 formed of, for example, a dedicated line. , And data is transmitted and received between the host computer 12 and the photo processing device 14.

[0008] The host computer 12 includes a host computer main body 18. The host computer main body 18 includes a CPU 20 for controlling the operation of the host computer 12. The CPU 20 includes a ROM 22 for storing a program for controlling the operation of the host computer 12 and a RAM 24 for temporarily storing operation data. included. The CPU 20 is connected to a hard disk 26 in which version upgrade software and the like are stored. A keyboard 32 and a floppy (registered trademark) disk drive 34 are connected to the host computer main body 18 via connectors 28 and 30, respectively. Further, the host computer main body 18 is connected to the communication line 16 via a connector 36.

The photographic processing device 14 includes a photographic processing device main body 38.
including. The photo processing apparatus main body 38 includes a motherboard 40, and further includes a scanner 4 as a peripheral device connected to the motherboard 40 via connectors 42 and 44, respectively.
6, including a pricing unit 48; Motherboard 4
Reference numeral 0 denotes a CPU 50, a ROM 52 in which a program for controlling the operation of the motherboard 40 is stored, and a hard disk 5 in which version upgrade software and the like are stored.
4 inclusive. For example, the 135 auto-negative masks 58 and 24 are connected to the photo processing device main body 38 via the connector 56.
Any one of the auto negative masks 60, 60, the auto negative mask 62, the auto mount carrier 64, and the manual negative mask 66 is connected as an option. Also, the connector 6 is attached to the photo processing device main body 38.
A dedicated keyboard 72 and a personal computer 74 are connected via the terminals 8 and 70, respectively. The personal computer 74 is connected to the full keyboard 78 via the connector 76 and to the communication line 16 via the connector 80.

The main operation of the photographic processing system 10 will be described with reference to FIG. First, when an operator of the host computer 12 issues an instruction from the keyboard 32, version upgrade software for checking the model of the photo processing device 14, the state of peripheral devices, the software version, and the like is provided by the host computer 12.
Is transmitted to the photographic processing device 14 (step 11).
When the version-up software is received by the photo-processing apparatus 14 (step 13), the model of the photo-processing apparatus 14, the state of peripheral devices, the software version, and the like are determined by executing the version-up software. Required files are determined (step S
15).

The discrimination of the old and new of the motherboard 40 is as follows.
A write test is performed on an address on the new substrate that is not on the old substrate. If the write succeeds, the new substrate is determined. If the write fails, the old substrate is determined. The presence or absence of the pricing unit 48 is determined by the presence or absence of the node, that is, the connector 44 by ARCNET communication. If the connector 44 is present, it is determined that the pricing unit 48 is present. If the connector 44 is not present, it is determined that the pricing unit 48 is not present. The determination as to which of the auto negative masks 58 to 62, the auto mount carrier 64, and the manual negative mask 66 are connected to the photographic processing apparatus main body 38 is made by confirming an electric signal indicating the on / off state of the dip switch. Will be Auto negative mask 58-62
Are determined by inquiring about the program and the type in the BOOT area of the ROM of the auto negative masks 58 to 62 by ARCNET communication. The software version of the photo processing device 14 is stored in the backup RAM in the CPU 50 of the motherboard 40.
It is determined with reference to the area.

Also, as shown in FIG. 3, examples of the file configuration in the case where the photo processing device 14 is configured as shown in FIG. 1 include a file related to the motherboard 40 and a file related to the peripheral device. The peripheral device-related files include the scanner 46, the pricing unit 48, and the negative mask-related files. The file structure and its contents required for version upgrade are
Model, peripheral device status, software version, etc. For example, if only the auto negative mask 60 for 240 is mounted on the photo processing apparatus main body 38 as a negative mask, only “240anm.sy_” is required as a file related to the negative mask, and “135
anm. sy_, 120 anm. sy_, amc. sy
_ "Becomes unnecessary.

Returning to FIG. 2, when a file required for the version upgrade is requested from the photo processing apparatus 14 to the host computer 12 for each file (step 17), the file requested from the photo processing apparatus 14 is transmitted to the host computer 12 (step 17). Is transmitted to the photo processing device 14 (step S19). When the file is received by the photo processing device 14 (step S21), it is determined whether or not all the files necessary for the upgrade have been received by the photo processing device 14 (step S23). Until the file is received, the request for the file and the transmission and reception of the file are repeated. If all the files necessary for the version upgrade are received by the photo processing device 14 (YES in step 23), the photo processing device 14
When the operator on the side instructs version upgrade from the dedicated keyboard 72 or the full keyboard 78, various units of the photo processing device 14 are upgraded based on the received file (step 25).

According to the photo processing system 10, the information necessary for the version upgrade can be managed collectively by the version upgrade software.
0 can significantly improve the reliability. The file requested by the photo processing device 14 is transmitted from the host computer 12 for each file, and transmission and reception of the file are repeated until all the files required for the version upgrade are transmitted to the photo processing device 14. Therefore, the files required for the photo processing device 14 can be obtained easily and accurately from the host computer 12 without any excess or shortage. As a result, it is possible to prevent troubles of the photo processing device 14 caused by a shortage of necessary files or reception of inappropriate files. Furthermore, since only necessary files are transmitted and received, communication time can be reduced. Also, since the only files that the host computer 12 actively transmits to the photo processing device 14 are the prescribed version upgrade files, the photo processing device 14 causes a malfunction due to the software sent from the host computer 12. Never.

[0015]

According to the present invention, the photo processing device requests only the files necessary for the upgrade from the host computer, and the host computer transmits the files to the photo processing device in response to the request from the photo processing device. ,
The photo processing device can obtain the files necessary for the version up without any excess or shortage.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an overall configuration of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the embodiment in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a table showing an example of a file configuration required for version upgrade.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the related art.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 10 photo processing system 12 host computer 14 photo processing device 16 communication line 20, 50 CPU 22, 52 ROM 24 RAM 26, 54 hard disk 32 keyboard 40 motherboard 46 scanner 48 pricing unit 58 135 auto negative mask for 135 60 auto negative mask for 240 62 Auto Negative Mask for 120 64 Auto Mount Carrier 66 Manual Negative Mask 72 Dedicated Keyboard 74 Personal Computer 78 Full Keyboard

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A host computer, a photo processing device, and a communication line for connecting the host computer and the photo processing device, wherein the host computer executes version upgrade software of the photo processing device for the photo processing. Means for transmitting the file requested by the photo processing device to the photo processing device, wherein the photo processing device uses the version upgrade software to upgrade the version of the photo processing device. A photographic processing system, comprising: means for requesting a required file from the host computer; and means for upgrading the photographic processing apparatus based on the file required for the version upgrade. 2. A method for upgrading a photo processing device connected to a host computer via a communication line, wherein a first version of the photo processing device is transmitted from the host computer to the photo processing device.
A second step in which the photo processing device requests the host computer for a file required for version upgrade using the version upgrade software; and a file required for the version upgrade is transmitted from the host computer to the photo processing device. And a fourth step of upgrading the photographic processing device based on a file necessary for the version upgrade.