Patent ID: 7555657

Claim:
A software update device configured to communicate with a target update device via a network, the software update device comprising: a processor configured to provide: a certification information setting unit configured to generate a first certification information, and transmit the first certification information to the target update device over a connection via a first communication protocol over the network and request that the target update device store the first certification information, and disconnect the connection via the first communication protocol after receiving a notification that the target update device stored the first certification information; a certification requesting unit configured to transmit the first certification information to the target update device over a connection via a second communication protocol, and request the target update device to execute a certification process with the first certification information; a transmitting unit configured to transmit an update software that updates a software of the target update device to the target update device via the second communication protocol over the network if the certification process succeeds via the second communication protocol, the second communication protocol having a process load less than that of the first communication protocol; and a certification information invalidation requesting unit configured to request the target update device to erase the first certification information subsequent to the transmittal of the update software by establishing a second connection via the second communication protocol with the target update device and determining if the target update device successfully obtained the update software, and if the update is successful, establishing a second connection via the first communication protocol with the target update device and transmitting an erasure password to the target update device over the second connection via the first communication protocol and requesting the target update device to erase the first certification information by overwriting the first certification information with the erasure password, and disconnecting the second connection via the first communication protocol after the target update device completes overwriting the first certification information with the erasure password.