Remote firmware upgrade via I/O connection

Abstract

Imaging devices and methods of operating imaging devices that facilitate reducing nonvolatile storage needs of the imaging devices. The imaging devices are adapted to request control programs from external devices without the need to maintain a nonvolatile image of a control program within the imaging device. Control programs are received on a communication input of the imaging device and stored on a volatile storage media for use by a processor of the imaging device. The embodiments can also facilitate more reliable updating within a networked system in that updating an image of a control program on one network device can automatically lead to updating of multiple imaging devices, thus eliminating a need to individually update each imaging device.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An imaging device, comprising: 
 a communication input for receiving image data from an external device; and    a formatter for converting the image data into a printable image as directed by a control program;    wherein the control program is alterable through the communication input of the imaging device; and    wherein the imaging device contains no nonvolatile image of the control program.    
     
     
         2 . The imaging device of  claim 1 , wherein the communication input may further receive other data from the external device.  
     
     
         3 . The imaging device of  claim 1 , wherein the image data is page description language.  
     
     
         4 . The imaging device of  claim 1 , wherein the control program is a set of computer-readable instructions stored on a volatile computer-usable storage media.  
     
     
         5 . The imaging device of  claim 1 , wherein the formatter is adapted to request the control program from the external device.  
     
     
         6 . An imaging device, comprising: 
 a communication input for receiving image data and other signals from an external device;    a communication output;    a formatter for converting image data into a printable image as directed by a control program;    a first computer-usable media for storing the control program;    a second computer-usable media having computer-readable instructions stored thereon capable of causing a processor to perform a method, the method comprising: 
 providing a signal on the communication output of the imaging device indicative of a desire to transfer a control program from an external device to the communication input of the imaging device; and  
 waiting for a control program to be received on the communication input of the imaging device in response to the signal.  
   
     
     
         7 . The imaging device of  claim 6 , wherein the communication input and the communication output are a single communication port.  
     
     
         8 . The imaging device of  claim 6 , wherein the method further comprises delaying conversion of any image data until a control program is received on the communication input of the imaging device and is stored on the first computer-usable media.  
     
     
         9 . The imaging device of  claim 6 , wherein the method further comprises delaying conversion of any image data for a predetermined timeout period while waiting for a control program to be received on the communication input of the imaging device.  
     
     
         10 . The imaging device of  claim 9 , wherein the method further comprises transferring a default control program from the second computer-usable media to the first computer-usable media if no control program is received on the communication input prior to expiration of the timeout period.  
     
     
         11 . A method of operating an imaging device, comprising: 
 generating a request for a control program upon an initialization of the imaging device, wherein the control program is adapted to convert image data received by the imaging device into a printable image;    providing the request on a communication output of the imaging device; and    waiting to receive the control program via a communication input of the imaging device.    
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising: 
 transferring the control program from the communication input to a volatile storage media of the imaging device.    
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein generating a request for a control program further comprises generating a signal indicative of a desire to receive a control program from an external device.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the signal is directed to a single external device.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising: 
 requesting identification of a host device connected to the imaging device prior to generating the request for a control program.    
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising: 
 waiting for an acknowledgement by the host device after requesting identification; and    asking the host device if it has an available control program.    
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising: 
 broadcasting the request for a control program to multiple external devices if the host device does not have an available control program.    
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising: 
 delaying conversion of any image data received by the imaging device while waiting to receive the control program via the communication input.    
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising: 
 using a default control program if no control program is received via the communication input within a predetermined timeout period.    
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising: 
 transferring the control program received via the communication input to a volatile storage media of the imaging device for use in converting any image data received by the imaging device.    
     
     
         21 . A computer-usable medium having computer-readable instructions stored thereon capable of causing a processor to perform a method, the method comprising: 
 generating a request, in response to an initialization process, for a control program for converting image data into a printable image;    providing the request on a communication output of the processor; and    waiting to receive the control program via a communication input of the processor.    
     
     
         22 . The computer-usable medium of  claim 21 , wherein the computer-usable medium and the processor are both part of an application-specific integrated circuit device.  
     
     
         23 . The computer-usable medium of  claim 21 , wherein the computer-usable medium and the processor are separate parts of a formatter for an imaging device.  
     
     
         24 . The computer-usable medium of  claim 21 , wherein generating a request for a control program further comprises generating a signal indicative of a desire to receive a control program from an external device.  
     
     
         25 . The computer-usable medium of  claim 24 , wherein the signal is adapted to be directed to a single external device.  
     
     
         26 . The computer-usable medium of  claim 21 , wherein the method further comprises: 
 requesting identification of any host device connected to the processor prior to generating the request for a control program.    
     
     
         27 . The computer-usable medium of  claim 26 , wherein the method further comprises: 
 waiting for an acknowledgement by a host device after requesting identification; and    asking the acknowledging host device if it has an available control program.    
     
     
         28 . The computer-usable medium of  claim 27 , wherein the method further comprises: 
 broadcasting the request for a control program to multiple external devices if the acknowledging host device does not have an available control program.    
     
     
         29 . The computer-usable medium of  claim 2   1 , wherein the method further comprises: 
 delaying conversion of any image data received by the processor while waiting to receive the control program via the communication input.    
     
     
         30 . The computer-usable medium of  claim 29 , wherein the method further comprises: 
 using a default control program if no control program is received via the communication input within a predetermined timeout period.    
     
     
         31 . The computer-usable medium of  claim 29 , wherein the method further comprises: 
 transferring the control program received via the communication input to a storage media for use in converting any image data received by the processor.