JP7707597B2 - Electronic device, firmware update method and program - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an electronic device, a firmware update method, and a program.

Firmware is installed in electronic devices such as wristwatches to ensure that components such as integrated circuits (ICs) mounted on the electronic device operate normally. When replacing components during remanufacturing, design changes, or repairs of the electronic device, it is necessary to change the firmware or parameters to match the replaced components. When changing firmware or parameters, firmware updates that have been stored in the electronic device beforehand or firmware updates downloaded via a network are executed on the electronic device to change the firmware, etc. (For example, see Patent Document 1).

When the device described in Patent Document 1 is connected to a network, it transmits information including the name or version of the part to be replaced to a cloud-based software repository, and the cloud-based software repository downloads software appropriate to the received information to the device. This allows software such as firmware required for the device to be downloaded and installed, it is explained.

JP 2017-37620 A

When replacing a part in a conventional electronic device, it is necessary to read information including the name or version of the new part and transmit that information to a software repository or the like on a network. However, when reading the information, some kind of error may occur, making it impossible to read the information or reading incorrect information. In such cases, there is a problem in that it is not possible to rewrite the firmware or parameters to ones compatible with the new part.

In addition, if a problem occurs when reading information and it is not possible to rewrite firmware or parameters to match the new part, there is a problem that the part may not perform as designed or may malfunction.

The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned circumstances, and aims to provide an electronic device, a firmware update method, and a program that can reliably apply firmware compatible with new parts.

In order to achieve the above object, one aspect of the electronic device according to the present invention is to
a part identification information acquisition unit that acquires identification information of a new part that has been changed from an already-mounted part;
a firmware rewriting unit that rewrites firmware of the component or a peripheral component of the component with new firmware;
a firmware determination unit that determines whether or not the new firmware and a type or characteristic of the new component are compatible with each other based on the identification information acquired by the component identification information acquisition unit;
an operation instruction unit that executes a predetermined operation or instructs not to execute the predetermined operation when the firmware determination unit determines that the new firmware and the type or characteristics of the new component are not compatible with each other;
A first control unit;
a second control unit having the part identification information acquisition unit, the firmware determination unit, and the operation instruction unit,
When the firmware determination unit of the second control unit determines that the firmware and the type or characteristics of the component are incompatible with each other, the operation instruction unit issues an instruction to stop operation of the first control unit.

The present invention makes it possible to reliably apply firmware that is compatible with new parts.

1 is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration of an electronic device according to a first embodiment. 1 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of an electronic device according to a first embodiment; 4 is a flowchart of a firmware rewriting process according to the first embodiment; 13 is a flowchart of a firmware rewriting process according to the second embodiment;

(Embodiment 1)
Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, the same or corresponding parts are denoted by the same reference numerals. The electronic device 1 according to the first embodiment is any device equipped with replaceable electronic components, for example, a battery-powered information communication terminal connectable to a network. In the first embodiment, the electronic device 1 will be described as a small information communication terminal such as a wrist device.

Figure 1 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of electronic device 1 according to the first embodiment, and Figure 2 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of electronic device 1.

As shown in FIG. 1, the electronic device 1 includes a first control unit 110, a second control unit 120, a data storage 130, a firmware storage (referred to as FW storage in the drawing) 140, and a communication unit 150, which are connected via a data bus 200. The electronic device 1 further includes one or more components 160 mounted on the electronic device 1 and a component interface 170 for connecting the components 160, and the component interface 170 is also connected to the data bus 200.

The first control unit 110 includes a processor 101 and a memory 102. The first control unit 110 has a function of putting itself into sleep mode to reduce power consumption. When the first control unit 110 is in sleep mode, it basically stops operating, but when it receives an interrupt signal (wake-up signal) from the outside, it goes from the sleep mode to an active mode and starts operating.

The processor 101 is a high-performance computing device capable of implementing a high-performance OS (Operating System), and is made up of a CPU (Central Processing Unit). The memory 102 is a RAM (Random Access Memory) that serves as a working area for the processor 101, and has a capacity that can cover most of the capacity required to realize all the functions of the electronic device 1.

The second control unit 120 includes a processor 103 and a memory 104. The processor 103 is a CPU with low functionality and low speed compared to the processor 101 of the first control unit 110. Therefore, the processor 103 is not suitable for a high-performance OS, but on the other hand, it consumes less power than the processor 101. The electronic device 1 can be operated by only the second control unit 120 during remanufacturing, design changes, repairs, etc.

Memory 104 is a RAM (Random Access Memory) that serves as a working area for processor 103 and has the capacity required to realize the processing of processor 103.

Here, the above configuration of memory 102 and memory 104 is an example, and any other configuration may be used. For example, at least one of memory 102 and memory 104 may be provided outside the first control unit 110 or the second control unit 120, and memory 102 and memory 104 may be configured from a single RAM.

The data storage 130 is a large-capacity storage device that stores data acquired or generated by the main functions of the electronic device 1 implemented by the first control unit 110. The data storage 130 also stores programs executed by the first control unit 110 and the second control unit 120, and firmware rewrite programs for each component 160 installed in the electronic device 1.

When the second control unit 120 executes the firmware (FW in the drawing; the same applies below) rewrite program 131 stored in the data storage 130, the second control unit 120 functions as a part identification information acquisition unit 121, a firmware rewrite unit 122, a firmware determination unit 123, and an operation instruction unit 124, as shown in FIG. 2.

The part identification information acquisition unit 121 acquires the identification information of the new part 160 when the part 160 already installed in the electronic device 1 is replaced. The firmware rewriting unit 122 rewrites the firmware 141 to be applied to the replaced part 160 or a peripheral part of the part 160 with the new firmware 141.

The firmware determination unit 123 determines whether the rewritten firmware 141 and the type or characteristics of the new part are compatible with each other. When the firmware determination unit 123 determines that the rewritten firmware 141 and the type or characteristics of the new part are not compatible with each other, the operation instruction unit 124 executes a predetermined operation or issues an instruction not to execute the predetermined operation.

The firmware storage 140 is a storage device that stores firmware 141 corresponding to each component 160 that operates in the electronic device 1. If parameters are required to execute the firmware 141, the firmware storage 140 also stores the parameters in association with the firmware 141.

The communication unit 150 is a device for communicating with other information and communication terminals that are external to the electronic device 1. The communication method of the communication unit 150 is arbitrary, and may be a wired communication method such as USB, or a wireless communication method such as Bluetooth (registered trademark). The communication unit 150 receives data including the firmware rewrite program 131 for the part 160 from an information and communication terminal such as a server or manufacturing adjustment device that is communicatively connected.

The component 160 is an electronic component already installed in the electronic device 1, and is a replaceable component. The component 160 is, for example, a battery, a display device, an input device, or a sensor device for the electronic device 1. These components may need to be replaced due to wear, failure, modification of other peripheral components, etc. When remanufacturing at the manufacturing site, when changing the design, or when repairing, the old component is replaced with a new component, or is replaced by the user. When a component is switched, firmware or parameters that match the characteristics of the new component 160 must be applied, and if the firmware or parameters do not match the characteristics of the component, malfunctions may occur.

The component interface 170 is an interface for connecting the component 160 to the second control unit 120, and has a signal line for transmitting and receiving predetermined information. The component identification information acquisition unit 121 of the second control unit 120 can acquire information including the identification information of the component 160 using the component interface 170.

The method of acquiring the identification information using the component interface 170 may be any conventional method. For example, the combination of terminals of the component interface 170 that are shorted on the circuit board of the component 160 is changed for each type of component, and the component identification information acquisition unit 121 acquires the identification information of the component by detecting the combination of terminals that are conductive. If the component identification information acquisition unit 121 cannot acquire the identification information of the component 160 using the component interface 170, it may acquire the identification information via the communication unit 150, or may acquire the identification information based on an operational input by the operator.

The operation of the electronic device 1 configured as described above will be described with reference to the flowchart in FIG. 3. FIG. 3 is a flowchart of the firmware rewrite process that is executed after replacing the part 160.

Before executing the firmware rewrite process shown in FIG. 3, firmware rewrite programs 131 corresponding to each component 160 and the type or version of each component 160 are stored in the data storage 130. These firmware rewrite programs 131 are, for example, programs received by the communication unit 150 from an information communication terminal such as a server or manufacturing adjustment device connected to the communication unit 150 for communication.

After any part 160, such as a battery, a display device, an input device, or a sensor device, mounted on the electronic device 1 is replaced, a firmware rewrite program 131 corresponding to the replaced part 160 or a peripheral part of the part 160 is selected from the firmware rewrite programs 131 stored in the data storage 130. The firmware rewrite program 131 is selected by an operator's operation, or is selected based on the identification information of the part 160 acquired by the part identification information acquisition unit 121. Then, the selected firmware rewrite program 131 is executed, thereby executing the firmware rewrite process shown in FIG. 3.

First, the component identification information acquisition unit 121 acquires the identification information of the component 160 newly connected to the component interface 170 (step S101: component identification information acquisition step). Next, the firmware rewriting unit 122 of the second control unit 120 rewrites the firmware 141 stored in the firmware storage 140 with the new firmware 141 (step S102: firmware rewriting step). At this time, if there are parameters necessary to execute the firmware 141, the firmware rewriting unit 122 rewrites the parameters along with the firmware 141.

The rewriting of firmware 141 in firmware storage 140 performed in step S102 does not upgrade the firmware 141 from an old version that has already been written, but writes all data of firmware 141 anew. In other words, the second control unit 120 performs a clean install of firmware 141.

In other words, the firmware rewriting unit 122 does not perform a partial update of the firmware 141 based on the identification information of the part 160 acquired by the part identification information acquisition unit 121.

In step S102, after rewriting the firmware 141 in the firmware storage 140, the firmware determination unit 123 determines the consistency of all data in the firmware 141 (step S103: firmware determination step).

Specifically, the firmware determination unit 123 verifies whether there are any errors or omissions in the written firmware 141 data. In addition, the firmware determination unit 123 determines whether the data including the version of the firmware 141 matches the type or characteristics of the new part 160 identified based on the identification information acquired by the part identification information acquisition unit 121.

When the firmware determination unit 123 determines that all data in the firmware 141 is consistent (step S104: Yes), the firmware rewrite process is terminated, and then the operation instruction unit 124 instructs the first control unit 110 to start operating. When the firmware determination unit 123 determines that the data in the firmware 141 is not consistent (step S104: No), the operation instruction unit 124 outputs a warning indicating an abnormality and instructs the first control unit 110 to remain stopped (steps S105, S106: operation instruction step). Note that the instruction to operate given by the operation instruction unit 124 is not limited to outputting a warning or stopping the first control unit 110, but may be an instruction to execute or not execute any predetermined operation.

In this way, if the rewritten firmware 141 and the new part 160 match each other after the replacement of the part 160, the electronic device 1 can be operated normally. On the other hand, if the rewritten firmware 141 and the new part 160 do not match each other, it is possible to avoid operating the electronic device 1 in a state in which the part 160 cannot operate normally.

As described above, in the electronic device 1 according to the present embodiment, when the mounted component 160 is replaced, the component identification information acquisition unit 121 of the second control unit 120 acquires the identification information of the new component 160, and the firmware rewriting unit 122 rewrites the firmware 141 of the component 160 or the peripheral components of the component 160 with the new firmware 141. The firmware determination unit 123 verifies data including the version of the rewritten firmware 141 and determines whether the data is consistent. If the firmware determination unit 123 determines that the firmware 141 data is not consistent, the operation instruction unit 124 outputs a warning and instructs the first control unit 110 not to execute. This makes it possible to reliably apply firmware 141 that is compatible with the new component 160.

The electronic device 1 also does not execute a partial firmware update based on the identification information of the part 160 acquired by the part identification information acquisition unit 121. This makes it possible to avoid problems such as an inability to rewrite the firmware 141 to one compatible with the new part 160 due to a failure when reading the version of the part 160.

In addition, if the firmware determination unit 123 of the second control unit 120 determines that the rewritten firmware 141 and the type or characteristics of the part 160 are not compatible with each other, the operation of the first control unit 110 is stopped. This makes it possible to avoid a malfunction of the electronic device 1 caused by operating the first control unit 110 in a state in which the part 160 cannot operate normally due to the firmware 141 being incompatible.

(Embodiment 2)
The electronic device 1 according to the second embodiment will be described below with reference to Fig. 4. The electronic device 1 according to the second embodiment has a similar configuration to that of the first embodiment. In the electronic device 1 according to the present embodiment, the component 160 to be rewritten by the firmware 141 is a battery.

Batteries are parts that require replacement due to EOL (End of Life), and in addition to EOL, old batteries are replaced with new batteries when remanufacturing at the manufacturing site, when design changes are made, or when repairs are made, or they are replaced by the user. When a battery is switched, it is necessary to apply firmware or parameters of the battery fuel gauge IC (Integrated Circuit) that are compatible with the characteristics of that battery, and if the firmware or parameters do not match the battery characteristics, there is a risk of malfunction. Furthermore, if the firmware or parameters do not match the battery characteristics, the battery characteristics as designed may not be obtained.

The hardware configuration and functional configuration of the electronic device 1 according to the second embodiment are the same as those of the first embodiment. The operation of the electronic device 1 according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 4. FIG. 4 is a flowchart of the firmware rewriting process when the component 160 is a battery.

Before executing the firmware rewrite process shown in FIG. 4, the data storage 130 stores a firmware rewrite program 131 for the battery fuel gauge IC that is compatible with the type or version of the battery that is the component 160. These firmware rewrite programs 131 are, for example, programs that the communication unit 150 receives from an information communication terminal such as a server or manufacturing adjustment device that is communicatively connected.

After the battery installed in the electronic device 1 is replaced, a firmware rewrite program 131 corresponding to the replaced new battery is selected from the firmware rewrite programs 131 stored in the data storage 130. The firmware rewrite program 131 is selected by an operator's operation, or is selected based on the identification information of the part 160 acquired by the part identification information acquisition unit 121. Then, the firmware rewrite process shown in FIG. 4 is performed by executing the selected firmware rewrite program 131.

First, the part identification information acquisition unit 121 acquires identification information of the battery, which is the part 160 newly connected to the part interface 170 (step S201). If it is determined that the battery connected to the part interface 170 is a new battery based on the identification information acquired by the part identification information acquisition unit 121 (step S202: Yes), the firmware rewriting unit 122 rewrites all of the battery fuel gauge IC firmware 141 stored in the firmware storage 140 to battery fuel gauge IC firmware 141 compatible with the new battery (step S203).

In the second embodiment, the rewriting of firmware 141 in firmware storage 140, which is executed in step S203, does not upgrade the firmware 141 of an old version that has already been written, but writes all data of firmware 141 anew. In other words, the second control unit 120 performs a clean install of firmware 141. Then, the process proceeds to step S204.

If it is determined in step S202 that the battery connected to the component interface 170 is not a new battery and has not been replaced (step S202: No), the firmware 141 is not rewritten and the process proceeds to step S204.

Next, the firmware determination unit 123 determines the consistency of all data in the firmware 141 of the battery fuel gauge IC installed in the firmware storage 140 (step S204).

Specifically, the firmware determination unit 123 verifies whether there are any errors or omissions in the written firmware 141 data. In addition, the firmware determination unit 123 determines whether the data including the version of the firmware 141 of the battery fuel gauge IC is compatible with the type or characteristics of the new battery identified based on the identification information acquired by the part identification information acquisition unit 121.

When the firmware determination unit 123 determines that a new battery is connected based on the part identification information acquired by the part identification information acquisition unit 121 and determines that the firmware 141 of the battery remaining gauge IC is compatible with the new battery (step S205: Yes), the operation instruction unit 124 switches the reference table for calculating the remaining battery level of the battery remaining gauge IC to a table corresponding to the new battery, and restarts the electronic device 1 (step S206).

In addition, if the firmware determination unit 123 determines that an old battery is connected based on the part identification information acquired by the part identification information acquisition unit 121 and determines that the firmware 141 of the battery remaining gauge IC is compatible with the old battery (step S205: No, step S207: Yes), the operation instruction unit 124 switches the reference table of the battery remaining gauge IC to a table corresponding to the old battery and restarts the electronic device 1 (step S206).

On the other hand, if the firmware determination unit 123 determines that a new battery is connected and that the firmware 141 of the battery remaining gauge IC is not compatible with the new battery (steps S205 and S207: No), the operation instruction unit 124 outputs a warning indicating an abnormality (step S208) and instructs the first control unit 110 to remain stopped (step S209). Also, if the firmware determination unit 123 determines that an old battery is connected and that the firmware 141 of the battery remaining gauge IC is not compatible with the old battery (steps S205 and S207: No), the operation instruction unit 124 outputs a warning indicating an abnormality (step S208) and instructs the first control unit 110 to remain stopped (step S209).

As described above, when the installed battery is replaced in the electronic device 1 according to this embodiment, the part identification information acquisition unit 121 of the second control unit 120 acquires the identification information of the battery, which is the new part 160, and the firmware rewriting unit 122 rewrites the firmware 141 of the battery fuel gauge IC of the battery with the new firmware 141. The firmware determination unit 123 verifies data including the version of the rewritten firmware 141 and determines whether the data is consistent. If the firmware determination unit 123 determines that the firmware 141 data is not consistent, the operation instruction unit 124 outputs a warning and also issues an instruction not to operate the first control unit 110. This makes it possible to reliably apply the firmware 141 of the battery fuel gauge IC that is compatible with the new battery.

(Modification)
Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, this embodiment is merely an example, and the scope of application of the present invention is not limited to this. In other words, the embodiment of the present invention can be applied in various ways, and all embodiments are included in the scope of the present invention.

For example, in the first embodiment, the data storage 130 and the firmware storage 140 are provided separately, the firmware rewrite program 131 is stored in the data storage 130, and the firmware 141 is stored in the firmware storage 140, but the data storage 130 and the firmware storage 140 may have any other configuration. For example, the data storage 130 and the firmware storage 140 may be configured as a single storage device. Alternatively, a part or all of the firmware storage 140 may be included in the first control unit 110 or the second control unit 120.

In addition, in the first and second embodiments, the firmware rewrite program 131 is executed to rewrite the firmware 141 stored in the firmware storage 140 to the firmware 141 of the new component 160. However, a plurality of firmware including firmware 141 of the component 160 or peripheral components of the component 160 may be stored in advance in the firmware storage 140. In this case, the firmware determination unit 123 selects firmware 141 corresponding to the new component 160 from the plurality of firmware based on the identification information of the new component 160 acquired by the component identification information acquisition unit 121, and determines whether the selected firmware 141 and the type or characteristics of the new component 160 are compatible with each other.

When storing multiple pieces of firmware 141 in the firmware storage 140, the communication unit 150 may receive firmware 141 from an external information communication terminal and store it in the firmware storage 140. Alternatively, based on the identification information of a new part 160 acquired by the part identification information acquisition unit 121, a request for firmware 141 may be made to an external information communication terminal, and the communication unit 150 may receive firmware 141 corresponding to the new part 160 and store it in the firmware storage 140.

In addition, in the first and second embodiments, after the firmware 141 in the firmware storage 140 is rewritten to firmware 141 corresponding to the new part 160, the firmware determination unit 123 determines whether the firmware 141 and the type or characteristics of the new part 160 are compatible with each other. However, it may be possible to determine whether the firmware 141 and the type or characteristics of the new part 160 are compatible with each other before writing the firmware 141 corresponding to the new part 160 to the firmware storage 140.

The hardware configurations and flow charts shown in the first and second embodiments are merely examples and can be changed or modified as desired. Each function realized by the second control unit 120 can be realized using a normal computer system, not a dedicated system.

For example, a computer capable of implementing each function may be configured by distributing a program for executing the operations of the above-described embodiments stored on a computer-readable recording medium such as a CD-ROM (Compact Disc Read Only Memory), a DVD (Digital Versatile Disc), an MO (Magneto Optical Disc), or a memory card, and installing the program on a computer. In addition, if each function is implemented by sharing the work between an OS (Operating System) and an application, or by cooperation between an OS and an application, only the parts other than the OS may be stored on the recording medium.

Although the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiment, and includes the inventions described in the claims and their equivalents. The inventions described in the original claims of this application are described below.

(Appendix 1)
a part identification information acquisition unit that acquires identification information of a new part that has been replaced from an already-mounted part;
a firmware rewriting unit that rewrites firmware of the component or a peripheral component of the component with new firmware;
a firmware determination unit that determines whether or not the new firmware and a type or characteristic of the new component are compatible with each other based on the identification information acquired by the component identification information acquisition unit;
an operation instruction unit that executes a predetermined operation or instructs not to execute the predetermined operation when the firmware determination unit determines that the new firmware and the type or characteristics of the new component are not compatible with each other;
An electronic device comprising:

(Appendix 2)
Further comprising a communication unit for communicating with an external information communication terminal,
The communication unit receives the firmware rewrite program from the information communication terminal,
the firmware rewriting unit executes the firmware rewriting program to rewrite the firmware of the component or a peripheral component of the component with new firmware;
2. The electronic device of claim 1.

(Appendix 3)
a part identification information acquisition unit that acquires identification information of a new part that has been replaced from an already-mounted part;
a firmware storage that stores a plurality of firmware including firmware of the component or a peripheral component of the component;
a firmware determination unit that determines whether or not the firmware selected from the plurality of firmwares and a type or characteristic of the new part are compatible with each other based on the identification information acquired by the part identification information acquisition unit;
an operation instruction unit that executes a predetermined operation or instructs not to execute the predetermined operation when the firmware determination unit determines that the selected firmware and a type or characteristic of the new part are not compatible with each other;
An electronic device comprising:

(Appendix 4)
Further comprising a communication unit for communicating with an external information communication terminal,
The communication unit receives the firmware from the information communication terminal and stores the firmware in the firmware storage.
4. The electronic device according to claim 3.

(Appendix 5)
the component is a battery,
the firmware includes battery fuel gauge IC firmware;
5. The electronic device according to claim 1 .

(Appendix 6)
when it is determined that the firmware and the type or characteristics of the new part are compatible with each other, the operation instruction unit switches a reference table for calculating the remaining battery level of the battery fuel gauge IC to a table corresponding to the replaced battery.
6. The electronic device according to claim 5.

(Appendix 7)
the electronic device does not execute a partial update of the firmware based on the identification information of the component acquired by the component identification information acquisition unit;
7. An electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

(Appendix 8)
the operation instruction unit issues an instruction to output a warning when the firmware determination unit determines that the firmware and a type or characteristic of the new component are not compatible with each other.
8. An electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

(Appendix 9)
A first control unit;
a second control unit having the part identification information acquisition unit, the firmware determination unit, and the operation instruction unit,
When the firmware determination unit of the second control unit determines that the firmware and the type or characteristics of the part are not compatible with each other, the operation instruction unit issues an instruction to stop the operation of the first control unit.
9. An electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

(Appendix 10)
A component interface for connecting the component to the second control unit,
a combination of terminals of the component interface that are short-circuited on a circuit board of the component is changed for each type of the component;
the component identification information acquisition unit of the second control unit acquires the identification information of the component by detecting a combination of the terminals that are conductive.
10. The electronic device of claim 9.

(Appendix 11)
a part identification information acquisition step of acquiring identification information of a new part replaced with the installed part;
a firmware rewriting step of rewriting firmware of the component or a peripheral component of the component with new firmware;
a firmware determination step of determining whether or not the new firmware and a type or characteristic of the new part are compatible with each other based on the identification information acquired in the part identification information acquisition step;
an operation instruction step of executing a predetermined operation or issuing an instruction not to execute the predetermined operation when it is determined in the firmware determination step that the new firmware and the type or characteristics of the new part are not compatible with each other;
A firmware update method comprising:

(Appendix 12)
Computer,
a part identification information acquisition unit for acquiring identification information of a new part replaced with an already-mounted part;
a firmware rewriting unit that rewrites firmware of the component or a peripheral component of the component with new firmware;
a firmware determination unit that determines whether or not the new firmware and a type or characteristic of the new part are compatible with each other based on the identification information acquired by the part identification information acquisition unit; and an operation instruction unit that executes a predetermined operation or gives an instruction not to execute the predetermined operation when the firmware determination unit determines that the new firmware and the type or characteristic of the new part are not compatible with each other.
A program that functions as a

1...electronic device, 101, 103...processor, 102, 104...memory, 110...first control unit, 120...second control unit, 121...component identification information acquisition unit, 122...firmware (FW) rewriting unit, 123...firmware determination unit, 124...operation instruction unit, 130...data storage, 131...firmware rewriting program, 140...firmware storage, 141...firmware, 150...communication unit, 160...component, 170...component interface, 200...data bus.

Claims (10)

a part identification information acquisition unit that acquires identification information of a new part that has been replaced from an already-mounted part;
a firmware rewriting unit that rewrites firmware of the component or a peripheral component of the component with new firmware;
a firmware determination unit that determines whether or not the new firmware and a type or characteristic of the new component are compatible with each other based on the identification information acquired by the component identification information acquisition unit;
an operation instruction unit that executes a predetermined operation or instructs not to execute the predetermined operation when the firmware determination unit determines that the new firmware and the type or characteristics of the new component are not compatible with each other;
A first control unit;
a second control unit having the part identification information acquisition unit, the firmware determination unit, and the operation instruction unit,
When the firmware determination unit of the second control unit determines that the firmware and the type or characteristics of the part are not compatible with each other, the operation instruction unit issues an instruction to stop the operation of the first control unit.
electronic equipment. Further comprising a communication unit for communicating with an external information communication terminal,
The communication unit receives the firmware rewrite program from the information communication terminal,
the firmware rewriting unit executes the firmware rewriting program to rewrite the firmware of the component or a peripheral component of the component with new firmware;
2. The electronic device according to claim 1. a part identification information acquisition unit that acquires identification information of a new part that has been replaced from an already-mounted part;
a firmware storage that stores a plurality of firmware including firmware of the component or a peripheral component of the component;
a firmware determination unit that determines whether or not the firmware selected from the plurality of firmwares and a type or characteristic of the new part are compatible with each other based on the identification information acquired by the part identification information acquisition unit;
an operation instruction unit that executes a predetermined operation or instructs not to execute the predetermined operation when the firmware determination unit determines that the selected firmware and a type or characteristic of the new part are not compatible with each other;
A first control unit;
a second control unit having the part identification information acquisition unit, the firmware determination unit, and the operation instruction unit,
When the firmware determination unit of the second control unit determines that the firmware and the type or characteristics of the part are not compatible with each other, the operation instruction unit issues an instruction to stop the operation of the first control unit.
electronic equipment. Further comprising a communication unit for communicating with an external information communication terminal,
The communication unit receives the firmware from the information communication terminal and stores the firmware in the firmware storage.
4. The electronic device according to claim 3. the component is a battery,
the firmware includes battery fuel gauge IC firmware;
The electronic device according to claim 1 . when it is determined that the firmware and the type or characteristics of the new part are compatible with each other, the operation instruction unit switches a reference table for calculating the remaining battery level of the battery fuel gauge IC to a table corresponding to the replaced battery.
6. The electronic device according to claim 5. the electronic device does not execute a partial update of the firmware based on the identification information of the component acquired by the component identification information acquisition unit;
The electronic device according to claim 1 . the operation instruction unit issues an instruction to output a warning when the firmware determination unit determines that the firmware and a type or characteristic of the new component are not compatible with each other.
The electronic device according to claim 1 . A component interface for connecting the component to the second control unit,
a combination of terminals of the component interface that are short-circuited on a circuit board of the component is changed for each type of the component;
the component identification information acquisition unit of the second control unit acquires the identification information of the component by detecting a combination of the terminals that are conductive.
The electronic device according to claim 1 . A computer including a first control unit and a second control unit ,
a part identification information acquisition unit for acquiring identification information of a new part replaced with an already-mounted part;
a firmware rewriting unit that rewrites firmware of the component or a peripheral component of the component with new firmware;
a firmware determination unit that determines whether or not the new firmware and a type or characteristic of the new part are compatible with each other based on the identification information acquired by the part identification information acquisition unit; and an operation instruction unit that executes a predetermined operation or gives an instruction not to execute the predetermined operation when the firmware determination unit determines that the new firmware and the type or characteristic of the new part are not compatible with each other.
Function as a
the second control unit has the part identification information acquisition unit, the firmware determination unit, and the operation instruction unit,
When the firmware determination unit of the second control unit determines that the firmware and the type or characteristics of the part are not compatible with each other, the operation instruction unit issues an instruction to stop the operation of the first control unit.
program .