Methods for Updating an Electronic Device

Abstract

A method for updating an imaging device is described. The method comprises: receiving update information from a memory of a supply item, the update information comprising an update value, and updating a firmware variable of the imaging device based on the update information. An imaging device is also described that comprises firmware and memory, the memory storing a firmware variable, wherein the firmware is configured to read the firmware variable, and the imaging device is configured to update the firmware variable, by: receiving update information from a memory of a supply item, the update information comprising an update value, and updating the firmware variable of the imaging device based on the update information. An imaging device supply item is also described. The supply item comprises a memory, the memory storing update information, the update information comprising an update value, and the supply item being configured to send the update information.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for updating an imaging device, the method comprising:
 receiving, by the imaging device, update information from a memory of a supply item connected to the imaging device, the update information comprising an update value, and   updating a firmware variable of the imaging device based on the update information.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the update information further comprises an update version value,
 wherein updating the firmware variable of the imaging device based on the update information comprises:
 when the update version value indicates a newer version than the version value of the firmware variable, updating the firmware variable to match the update value. 
   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein updating the firmware variable of the imaging device based on the update information further comprises: when the update version value does not indicate a newer version than the version value of the firmware variable, retaining the firmware variable unchanged. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the firmware variable is a compatibility filter configured to control which generations of supply item are classified as compatible with the imaging device and the update value is a compatibility update filter indicating which generations of supply item are compatible with the imaging device. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the firmware variable is a function status variable configured to control the status of one or more functions. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the one or more functions are stored on the imaging device. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein a function of the one or more functions is an authentication function, configured to determine the authenticity of a supply item when connected to the imaging device. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the update information is included in a signed certificate. 
     
     
         9 . An imaging device, the imaging device comprising firmware and a memory, the memory storing a firmware variable, wherein the firmware is configured to read the firmware variable, and the imaging device is configured to update the firmware variable, by:
 receiving update information from a memory of a supply item connected to the imaging device, the update information comprising an update value, and   updating the firmware variable of the imaging device based on the update information.   
     
     
         10 . The imaging device of  claim 9 , wherein the imaging device memory further stores a version value of the firmware variable, and the update information further comprises an update version value, and updating the firmware variable of the imaging device based on the update information comprises:
 when the update version value indicates a newer version than the version value of the firmware variable, updating the firmware variable to match the update value.   
     
     
         11 . The imaging device of  claim 10 , wherein updating the firmware variable of the imaging device based on the update information further comprises: when the update version value does not indicate a newer version than the version value of the firmware variable, retaining the firmware variable unchanged. 
     
     
         12 . The imaging device of  claim 9 , wherein the firmware variable is a compatibility filter configured to control which generations of supply item are classified as compatible with the imaging device and the update value is a compatibility update filter indicating which generations of supply item are compatible with the imaging device. 
     
     
         13 . The imaging device of  claim 9 , wherein the firmware variable is a function status variable configured to control the status of one or more functions. 
     
     
         14 . The imaging device of  claim 13 , wherein the one or more functions are stored on the imaging device. 
     
     
         15 . The imaging device of  claim 13 , wherein a function of the one or more functions is an authentication function, configured to determine the authenticity of a supply item when connected to the imaging device. 
     
     
         16 . The imaging device of  claim 9 , wherein the update information is included in a signed certificate. 
     
     
         17 . An imaging device supply item, the supply item comprising a memory, the memory storing update information, the update information comprising an update value, and the supply item being configured to send the update information to an imaging device. 
     
     
         18 . The imaging device supply item of  claim 17 , wherein the update information further comprises an update version value. 
     
     
         19 . The imaging device supply item of  claim 18 , wherein the supply item is further configured to compare the update version value with a version value received from the imaging device and, when the update version value indicates a newer version than the version value of the firmware variable, to send the update value to the imaging device. 
     
     
         20 . An imaging system comprising the imaging device of  claim 1  and the supply item of  claim 17 .