Patent Publication Number: US-2011055508-A1

Title: Information processing apparatus, data transfer method, and computer-readable recording medium

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus, a data transfer method, and a computer-readable recording medium. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     In recent years and continuing, there are widely known image forming apparatuses, which include plural functions such as those of a copier, a scanner, a printer, and a fax machine accommodated in a single body, and which have a high-volume storage device (e.g., an HDD). Before such image forming apparatuses became available in the market, memories were quite expensive. Therefore, copiers (without an HDD) having programs installed in a low-volume storage device (e.g., a ROM such as NAND-Flash) have been in widespread use. Such a low-volume storage device stores various programs for operating the copier and various kinds of system data (user information, setting information, various parameters, etc.). 
     In order to add a new function to such a copier (without an HDD), the following operations are performed. For example, an optional HDD that is a high-volume storage device is additionally installed in the copier. Then, the above-described programs and system data, which are stored in the ROM that is a low-volume storage device, need to be transferred to the additional HDD. The reason why an additional HDD is installed is that the low-volume ROM in the copier may not be able to provide the additional storage area that is needed for the new function. Specifically, the above-described programs and system data stored in the ROM of the copier are transferred to the additional HDD for the following reasons.
     (1) When a function is added to an existing program, the size of the existing program increases, and the existing ROM in the copier may not be able to accommodate any more data.   (2) When a function is added to the copier, the system data size increases, and the existing ROM in the copier may not be able to accommodate any more data.   (3) The frequency of updating the system data may increase depending on the additional function, which may exceed the overwrite limit (life) of the NAND-Flash.   

     As described above, when a new function is added to a copier (without an HDD), it may not be possible to increase the storage space in the existing ROM any further. Therefore, the programs and system data need to be transferred from the existing ROM of the copier to the additional HDD. 
     Patent document 1 discloses an example of a technology of adding programs. Several control programs which are optional programs are installed in advance in the HDD of an image forming apparatus such as a copier or a printer, and encrypted data is recorded in an SD card having unique ID data. When the SD card is inserted in the image forming apparatus, the image forming apparatus performs calculation with the use of the ID data and&#39;the encrypted data in the SD card and a predetermined function. Based on the calculation results, the image forming apparatus determines whether to allow or prohibit usage of each control program. As described above, the programs are preinstalled in the HDD, and therefore when an optional program is to be added, there is no need to add a memory card including a flash memory or to distribute data with a CD-ROM. 
     However, in recent years and continuing, security is being taken into consideration. For this purpose, programs and system data are often encrypted when stored in the HDD, to prevent data modification (which causes malfunction) and data leakage. Programs and system data are particularly subjected to encryption, while user data (such as image data) is not encrypted as much as programs and system data. A key used for encrypting the data can be generated in the image forming apparatus when an additional HDD is installed in the corresponding image forming apparatus. Therefore, in order to encrypt the information to be stored in an HDD, the programs cannot be preinstalled in a HDD that is built in the image forming apparatus in advance as in the invention of patent document 1. 
     Patent Document 1: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2003-058486 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides an information processing apparatus, a data transfer method, and a computer-readable recording medium, in which one or more of the above-described disadvantages are eliminated. 
     A preferred embodiment of the present invention provides an information processing apparatus, a data transfer method, and a computer-readable recording medium, with which programs and data stored in a low-volume storage device can be transferred to a high-volume storage device by a simple operation when installing an additional high-volume storage device. 
     According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information processing apparatus including a first storage device configured to store pre-existing data including a program for operating the information processing apparatus; a data input unit configured to input data into the information processing apparatus from outside via a recording medium; a detecting unit configured to detect that a second storage device is additionally installed in the information processing apparatus; a display unit configured to prompt input of the recording medium storing a data transfer program, when the. detecting unit detects that the second storage device is additionally installed; and a data transfer unit configured to transfer the pre-existing data from the first storage device to the second storage device in accordance with the data transfer program, when the data transfer program stored in the recording medium is input by the data input unit, wherein the recording medium includes a save area in which the pre-existing data is temporarily saved, and the data transfer unit temporarily saves the pre-existing data in the save area before transferring the pre-existing data to the second storage unit. 
     According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a data transfer method performed by an information processing apparatus including a first storage device configured to store pre-existing data including a program for operating the information processing apparatus, the data transfer method including inputting data into the information processing apparatus from outside via a recording medium; detecting that a second storage device is additionally installed in the information processing apparatus; prompting input of the recording medium storing a data transfer program, when it is detected at the detecting that the second storage device is additionally installed; and transferring the pre-existing data from the first storage device to the second storage device in accordance with the data transfer program, when the data transfer program stored in the recording medium is input at the inputting, wherein the transferring includes temporarily saving the pre-existing data in a save area in the recording medium before transferring the pre-existing data to the second storage unit. 
     According to one embodiment of the present invention, an information processing apparatus, a data transfer method, and a computer-readable recording medium are provided, with which programs and data stored in a low-volume storage device can be transferred to a high-volume storage device by a simple operation when installing the additional high-volume storage device. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Other objects, features and, advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates an example of a hardware configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates an example of a hardware configuration (including an additional HDD) of the image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  illustrates an example of a transfer media kit according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a flowchart of a process performed by the image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic diagram of a storage area before the additional HDD is installed; and 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic diagram of a storage area after the additional HDD is installed. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     A description is given, with reference to the accompanying drawings, of embodiments of the present invention. 
     In the following description, the present invention is applied to an image forming apparatus which is one embodiment of an information processing apparatus. 
     An image forming apparatus  1  according to an embodiment of the present invention is a copier (without an HDD) in which programs are installed in a low-volume ROM.  FIG. 1  illustrates an example of a hardware configuration of the image forming apparatus  1  according to an embodiment of the present invention. The image forming apparatus  1  includes an operations panel  11 , a storage medium I/F  12 , a controller  13 , a data communications I/F  14 , a scanner  15 , and a plotter  16 , which are connected to each other. 
     The operations panel  11  includes an input device  11 A and a display device  11 B. The input device  11 A includes hardware keys, and is used for inputting various operation signals into the main unit of the image forming apparatus  1 . The display device  11 B includes a display, and is used for displaying various information items relevant to image forming operations and for displaying a wizard screen page relevant to an additional HDD when installing the additional HDD. 
     The data communications&#39;I/F  14  includes an interface device  14 A which is an interface used for connecting the image forming apparatus  1  to data transmission paths such as a network or a fax transmission line. 
     A drive device  12 A can read various kinds of data from a recording medium set in the drive device  12 A via the storage medium I/F  12 . 
     The controller  13  includes a ROM (Read Only Memory)  13 A, a RAM (Random Access Memory)  13 B, and a CPU (Central Processing Unit)  13 C. The ROM  13 A stores various programs that are executed&#39;when the image forming apparatus  1  is activated or operated and various kinds of system data (system information, user information, setting information, various parameters, etc.). The RAM  13 B is for temporarily holding the programs and system data loaded from the ROM  13 A. Furthermore, the CPU  13 C executes the programs that are temporarily held by the RAM  13 B. When the controller  13  receives print data via the data communications I/F  14 , the CPU  13 C executes a program (PDL parser) that can interpret PDL (Page Description Language) that has been loaded from the ROM  13 A into the RAM  13 B. Then, the controller  13  interprets the print data and generates a bitmap. image. 
     The scanner  15  includes an image scanning device  15 A that optically scans an original that is placed on the scanning surface and generates image data. The plotter  16  includes a printing device  16 A that prints a bitmap image onto a recording sheet by an electrophotographic processing method. The image forming apparatus  1  that is an information processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention implements functions such as a copy function with the above described hardware configuration. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates an example of a hardware configuration (including an additional HDD) of the image forming apparatus  1  according to an embodiment of the present invention. The image forming apparatus  1  according to the present embodiment does not include a preinstalled HDD. Therefore, in order to add a new function, an additional HDD needs to be physically installed.  FIG. 2  illustrates the image forming apparatus  1  of  FIG. 1  with an additionally installed HDD  17 . 
     After installing the additional HDD  17 , programs and various data items are input (installed) in the image forming apparatus  1  via a recording medium (external recording medium)  12 B. These programs and various data items are for providing a new function to be added to the image forming apparatus  1 . The drive device  12 A can read additional programs and additional system data (system data required for the additional programs) from the recording medium  12 B set in the drive device  12 A via the storage medium I/F  12 . In the present embodiment, an SD memory card (hereinafter, “SD card”) which is a flash memory may be applied as the recording medium  12 B. The SD card stores a data transfer program used for transferring data to the HDD  17 . The data to be transferred to the HDD  17  includes the additional programs and additional system data as well as various programs (hereinafter, “existing programs”) and various kinds of system data (hereinafter, “existing system data”) that are stored in the ROM  13 A. The SD card may be referred to as a transfer media kit used for adding a function and transferring data when an additional HDD is installed. Details are described below. 
     As described above, by using the SD card (transfer media kit) according to the present embodiment, the additional programs and additional system data are input to the additionally installed HDD  17  from the SD card (transfer media kit). Furthermore, by executing the data transfer program, the existing programs and existing system data stored in the ROM  13 A are transferred to the HDD  17 . The memory space that is needed for the additional function is not available in the ROM  13 A, and therefore the existing programs and existing system data are transferred to the additionally installed HDD  17 . 
       FIG. 3  illustrates an example of the transfer media kit according to an embodiment of the present invention. The transfer media kit  12 B, which is implemented by the SD card, includes a data transfer program  20 , additional programs  21 , additional system data  22 , and a save area  23 . 
     The data transfer program  20  is for transferring the existing programs and existing system data from the ROM  13 A to the HDD  17 . The additional programs  21  correspond to the function programs for providing a new function that is to be additionally installed in the image forming apparatus  1 . The additional system data  22  corresponds to system data that is needed for the function programs. The save area  23  is a storage area for temporarily saving the existing programs and existing system data in the ROM  13 A. 
     When the power of the image forming apparatus  1  is turned on after installing the additional HDD  17 , a device management unit of the image forming apparatus  1  detects the additional HDD  17 , and the display device  11 B displays a wizard screen page relevant to the additional HDD  17 . The wizard screen page displays a message instructing to “insert the transfer media kit  12 B when adding a new program”. The user inserts the transfer media kit  12 B in the drive device  12 A at this timing, and then the data transfer program  20  is read by the image forming apparatus  1  as described above. 
     Next, a description is given of processes performed by the image forming apparatus  1  according to an embodiment of the present invention. First, the overall flow of operations and processes are given below.
         (1) While the power of the image forming apparatus  1  is turned off, the operator installs an additional HDD in the image forming apparatus  1 , and then turns on the power.   (2) When the image forming apparatus  1  is activated, the device management unit detects the additional HDD, and an instruction to insert the transfer media kit  12 B is displayed on the operations panel  11 .   (3) The operator inserts the transfer media kit  12 B into the drive device  12 A.   (4) The operator presses the execution start button on the operations panel  11 .   (5) The data transfer process is performed.   (6) A process end report is displayed on the operations panel  11 .       

     As described above, the process is performed as follows. (1) The operator turns on the power of the image forming apparatus  1  after installing the additional HDD. (2) The device management unit (detecting unit) of the image forming apparatus  1  detects the additionally installed HDD  17  and the display device  11 B (display unit) displays a wizard screen page relevant to the additional HDD  17 . The wizard screen page displays a message instructing to “insert the transfer media kit  12 B when adding a new program”. (3) The operator inserts the transfer media kit  12 B into the drive device  12 A. (4) The operator presses the execution start button. (5) The image forming apparatus  1  reads the data transfer program  20  (data transfer unit), and performs processes of transferring the existing data and installing additional programs, etc. (6) A process end report is sent to the display device  11 B. 
     A description is given of the process of transferring data performed by the image forming apparatus  1  described in (5).  FIG. 4  is a flowchart of a process performed by the image forming apparatus  1 .  FIG. 5  is a schematic diagram of the storage area before the additional HDD is installed.  FIG. 6  is a schematic diagram of the storage area after the additional HDD is installed. 
     First, the transfer data (i.e., the existing programs and existing system data) is exported to the save area  23  provided in the transfer media kit  12 B (step S 401 ). As shown in  FIG. 5 , before installing the additional HDD, an OS, existing programs (existing applications), and existing system data are stored in the storage area of the ROM  13 A. The ROM  13 A is managed as file systems divided by partitions, or the ROM  13 A has mount points set for areas divided by partitions. Accordingly, when an existing program is to be called, the CPU  13 C specifies a path of “/program/copy”. 
     Next, the information of mount points relevant to the existing programs and existing system data corresponding to the transfer data, i.e., “/program/copy” and “/program/data 1 ”, is exported to the save area  23  in the transfer media kit  12 B (step S 402 ). During the installing process, the ROM  13 A is formatted, and the system configuration is reestablished (programs and data are rewritten from the beginning). Therefore, if an unexpected error occurs (such as power shutdown), the data in the ROM  13 A may be lost. For this reason, the transfer data is saved in the save area  23  so that the data can be recovered in the event of an unexpected failure. The save area  23  has sufficient storage capacity for temporarily storing the transfer data. 
     Next, the additional programs  21  and the additional system data  22  in the transfer media kit  12 B are installed into a predetermined area in the additionally installed HDD  17  (step S 403 ). For example, as shown in  FIG. 6 , the additional programs  21  are stored in “/dev/HDD 05 ” and the additional system data  22  is stored in “/dev/HDD 06 ”. 
     New mount points are set for the image forming apparatus  1  in which the additional HDD  17  has been installed (step S 404 ). Particularly, when the existing programs and existing system data are transferred from the ROM  13 A to the HDD  17 , these data items are mounted by the same paths as those used before the data transfer. By using the same paths regardless of whether an additional HDD is installed, there is no need to consider the location of each program (application) depending on whether an additional HDD is installed, and common execution paths can be used for, the programs. In  FIG. 6 , suspend image areas are provided in the ROM  13 A. When the image forming apparatus  1  is additionally provided with the HDD  17 , these suspend image areas are used for saving memory images for recovering at high speed. Before the additional HDD  17  is installed, “/program/copy” and “/program/data 1 ” are mounted at “/dev/ROM 02 ” and “/dev/ROM 03 ”, respectively. However, after installing the additional HDD  17 , the mount points “/dev/ROM 02 ” and “/dev/ROM 03 ” of the existing programs and existing system data need to be changed. If the mount points are not changed, and an existing program is called, “/dev/ROM 02 ”will be referred to because the ROM is typically read before the HDD. In the present embodiment, suspend image areas are provided in the ROM  13 A after transferring the data from the ROM  13 A; however, these areas may be used for other purposes, or these areas may not be used, as long as the mount points are changed for the data that has been transferred. As described above, new mount points are set for the existing programs and existing system data that are to be transferred from the ROM  13 A to the HDD  17  (see  FIG. 6 ). 
     Next, the transfer data is imported into the HDD  17  from the save area  23  (step S 405 ). Specifically, the existing programs and existing system data are imported into “/dev/HDD 01 ” and “/dev/HDD 02 ”, respectively. In step S 405 , “/program/copy” and “/program/data 1 ” are mounted to “/dev/HDD 01 ” and “/dev/HDD 02 ”, respectively. Therefore, the CPU  13 C can call the existing programs and existing system data that have been imported into the additional HDD  17  without changing the execution path of the programs. A key may be generated based on information unique to the image forming apparatus.  1  (e.g., a product serial number), and the transfer data may be encrypted before being stored in the additional HDD  17 . 
     Accordingly, the process of adding the additional programs, etc., and the process of transferring the existing data performed by the transfer media kit  12 B are completed, and finally a process end report is sent to the display device  11 B (step S 406 ). Specifically, the process end report is displayed on the wizard screen page. 
     The process of transferring data is performed by the data transfer unit; actually, the process of transferring data is-implemented as the CPU  13 C executes a data transfer program. Furthermore, the installing process is implemented as the CPU  13 C executes an installer program included in the additional programs  21 . 
     In the following overview, a description is given of the effects of the image forming apparatus  1  according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     The image forming apparatus  1  is a copier that does not have an HDD but has a low-volume ROM storing programs. The ROM stores various programs for operating the copier and various kinds of system data (user information, setting information, various parameters, etc.). The following processes are performed when installing an additional HDD and reestablishing the system in the image forming apparatus  1 . When an additional HDD is detected, the wizard screen page displays a message prompting the user to input a recording medium (for example, the transfer media kit). When the data transfer program recorded in the recording medium is input, the existing data is temporarily saved in the save area. When the system is reestablished after installing the additional HDD, the existing data is transferred to a predetermined area that is secured in the HDD. 
     Accordingly, the system reestablishment after installing the additional HDD can be easily performed simply by inserting the transfer media kit in the image forming apparatus  1 . Furthermore, the transfer data is stored in the HDD when the HDD is additionally installed. Therefore, when the additional HDD is installed, a key used for encrypting data can be generated based on information unique to the image forming apparatus  1  (e.g., a product serial number), and the transfer data can be encrypted before being stored in the additional HDD. This cannot be done in a case where programs and data are preinstalled in a HDD that is built in the apparatus in advance. Accordingly, the image forming apparatus  1  according to an embodiment of the present invention is advantageous in terms of security. 
     The operation of adding a new function to the image forming apparatus  1  (which is the purpose of installing an additional HDD), and the operation of transferring existing data from the ROM to the additional HDD (which is an operation needed for adding the new function), can both be easily performed simply by inserting the transfer media kit in the image forming apparatus  1 . 
     Furthermore, in the image forming apparatus  1 , the data transfer unit maintains the execution paths of the existing data (even after an additional HDD is installed), and changes the mount points where the execution paths are mounted in the predetermined area into which the existing data has been transferred from the ROM. 
     Accordingly, when the existing programs and existing system data are transferred from the ROM  13 A to the additional HDD  17 , the data is mounted with the same paths as those used before being transferred. By using the same paths regardless of the mount points, there is no need to consider the location of each program (application) depending on whether an additional HDD is installed, and common execution paths can be used for the programs. This is advantageous in developing the programs (applications). 
     The present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described herein, and variations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. 
     For example, in the above embodiment, an SD card is used as a recording medium. However, the present invention is not so limited, and another type of recording medium may be used instead of the SD card. However, in consideration of using the recording medium as a transfer media kit and the light-duty operation of inserting it into the apparatus, it is advantageous to use a small recording medium that is convenient to carry around. 
     Furthermore, in the above embodiment, an image forming apparatus is used as an information processing apparatus to which the present invention is applied. However, the present invention is widely applicable to other systems and devices. 
     According to one embodiment of the present invention, an information processing apparatus, a data transfer method, and a computer-readable recording medium are provided, with which programs and data stored in a low-volume storage device can be transferred to a high-volume storage device by a simple operation when installing the additional high-volume storage device. 
     The present application is based on Japanese Priority Patent Application No. 2009-202004, filed on Sep. 1, 2009, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference.