Patent ID: 7511840

Claim:
An image forming apparatus, comprising: a memory section configured to store firmware; a connection section configured to connect the apparatus to a network; a receiving section configured to receive an e-mail including a header portion containing an exclusive command indicating that firmware data used for updating the version of the firmware is attached and data indicating a transmitter, and enclosing an attachment of the firmware data, via the connection section; a checking section configured to confirm a checksum of the firmware data; a judgment section configured to judge whether the header portion of the e-mail contains the exclusive command, when the checksum of the firmware data is correct; an updating section configured to update a version of the firmware with the firmware data attached to the e-mail when the judgment section judges that the header portion includes the exclusive command when the firmware is being executed, the updating section updating the version of the firmware after a timer counts a time to finish the execution calculated by a control section; and a transmitting section configured to form an e-mail indicating the updating of the firmware has been successfully carried out or resulted in failure and then send it back to the transmitter of the e-mail via the connection section.