Patent ID: 7944574

Claim:
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; waiting for a control program to be received on the communication input of the imaging device in response to the signal; 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; and 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.