In an interactive network board, a method and apparatus for remotely downloading and executing files in a memory

Claim 3

A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of downloading includes the step of downloading a MAC address into the RAM.

Claim 4

A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of downloading includes the step of downloading a checksum value into the RAM.

Claim 5

A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of downloading is performed immediately after an interactive network board test.

Claim 6

A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of downloading includes the step of downloading a ROM firmware image into the RAM.

Claim 7

A method according to claim 1, wherein the verifying step includes the steps of determining a checksum value of the executable file and comparing the determined checksum value with a checksum value in the checksum packet attached to the executable file, and wherein, in the case the determined checksum value does not equal the checksum value in the checksum packet, outputting an error signal.

Claim 8

A method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of sending a "flash complete" signal to the LAN after the executable file has been loaded.

Claim 11

An apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising a remote LAN device for remotely downloading through the LAN interface the executable file to be stored in said RAM.

Claim 12

An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the remote LAN device sends the execute command to the processor to execute the executable file in RAM.

Claim 13

An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the remote LAN device downloads the executable file through a test interface disposed on said board.

Claim 14

An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the RAM comprises a dynamic RAM.

Claim 15

An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the interactive network board is coupled to a printer.

Claim 16

An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the EPROM comprises a flash EPROM.

Claim 17

Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said processor is for sending a "flash complete" signal to the LAN after loading the executable file into the EPROM.

Claim 18

Computer-executable process steps stored on a computer-readable medium, the computer executable process steps for use in a local area network system comprising one or more network nodes and one or more interactive network boards each interfaced to the local area network by a local area network interface, to download an executable file from a remote network node to a designated interactive network board, the computer-executable process steps comprising: code to activate a LAN communication program at the remote network node, the LAN communication program operating to broadcast an inquiry from the remote network node through the local area network for the designated interactive network board, to receive location information of the designated interactive network board in response to the broadcast inquiry, and to establish communication with the designated interactive network board; code to download the executable file, from the remote network node, over the LAN, into a RAM on the designated interactive network board, the executable file including a checksum packet; code to verify a checksum value of the executable file against a checksum value in the checksum packet using a processor on the interactive network board; code to load the executable file from the RAM into an EPROM on the interactive network board in a case that the processor has verified the checksum value successfully; and code to receive, in the interactive network board, at least one command from the LAN without putting the processor in an idle state, wherein in a case that the at least one command is a remote execute command, the processor reboots the interactive network board from the executable file in the EPROM.

Claim 19

Computer-executable process steps stored on a computer-readable medium, the computer executable process steps for use in a local area network system comprising one or more network nodes and one or more interactive network boards each interfaced to the local area network by a local area network interface, to download an executable file from a remote network node to a designated interactive network board, the computer-executable process steps comprising: code to activate a LAN communication program at the remote network node, the LAN communication program operating to broadcast an inquiry from the remote network node through the local area network for the designated interactive network board, to receive location information of the designated interactive network board in response to the broadcast inquiry, and to establish communication with the designated interactive network board; code to download the executable file, from the remote network node, over the LAN, into a RAM on the designated interactive network board, the executable file including a checksum packet; code to verify a checksum value of the executable file against a checksum value in the checksum packet using a processor on the interactive network board; code to load the executable file from the RAM into an EPROM on the interactive network board in a case that the processor has verified the checksum value successfully; and code to receive, in the interactive network board, at least one command from the LAN without putting the processor in an idle state, wherein in a case that the at least one command is a remote execute command, the processor reboots the interactive network board from the executable file in the EPROM.

Claim 20

Computer-executable process steps according to claim 16, wherein the code to download includes code to download a MAC address into the RAM.

Claim 21

Computer-executable process steps according to claim 16, wherein the code to download includes code to download a checksum value into the RAM.

Claim 22

Computer-executable process steps according to claim 16, wherein the code to download is performed immediately after an interactive network board test.

Claim 23

Computer-executable process steps according to claim 16, wherein the code to download includes code to download a ROM firmware image into the RAM.

Claim 24

Computer-executable process steps according to claim 16, wherein the code to verify includes code to determine a checksum value of the executable file and to compare the determined checksum value with a checksum value in the checksum packet attached to the executable file, and wherein, in the case that the determined checksum value does not equal the checksum value in the checksum packet, an error signal is output.

Claim 25

Computer-executable process steps according to claim 16, further comprising code to send a "flash complete" signal to the LAN after the executable file has been loaded.

Claim 26

A computer-readable medium which stores computer-executable process steps, the computer-executable process steps for use in a local area network system comprising one or more network nodes and one or more interactive network boards each interfaced to the local area network by a local area network interface, to download an executable file from a remote network node to a designated interactive network board, the computer-executable process steps comprising: an activating step to activate a LAN communication program at the remote network node, the LAN communication program operating to broadcast an inquiry from the remote network node through the local area network for the designated interactive network board, to receive location information of the designated interactive network board in response to the broadcast inquiry, and to establish communication with the designated interactive network board; a downloading step to download the executable file, from the remote network node, over the LAN, into a RAM on the designated interactive network board, the executable file including a checksum packet; a verifying step to verify a checksum value of the executable file against a checksum value in the checksum packet using a processor on the interactive network board; a loading step to load the executable file from the RAM into an EPROM on the interactive network board in a case that the processor has verified the checksum value successfully; and a receiving step to receive, in the interactive network board, at least one command from the LAN without putting the processor in an idle state, wherein in a case that the at least one command is a remote execute command, the processor reboots the interactive network board from the executable file in the EPROM.

Claim 27

A computer-readable medium which stores computer-executable process steps, the computer-executable process steps for use in a local area network system comprising one or more network nodes and one or more interactive network boards each interfaced to the local area network by a local area network interface, to download an executable file from a remote network node to a designated interactive network board, the computer-executable process steps comprising: an activating step to activate a LAN communication program at the remote network node, the LAN communication program operating to broadcast an inquiry from the remote network node through the local area network for the designated interactive network board, to receive location information of the designated interactive network board in response to the broadcast inquiry, and to establish communication with the designated interactive network board; a downloading step to download the executable file, from the remote network node, over the LAN, into a RAM on the designated interactive network board, the executable file including a checksum packet; a verifying step to verify a checksum value of the executable file against a checksum value in the checksum packet using a processor on the interactive network board; a loading step to load the executable file from the RAM into an EPROM on the interactive network board in a case that the processor has verified the checksum value successfully; and a receiving step to receive, in the interactive network board, at least one command from the LAN without putting the processor in an idle state, wherein in a case that the at least one command is a remote execute command, the processor reboots the interactive network board from the executable file in the EPROM.

Claim 28

A computer-readable medium according to claim 23, wherein the downloading step includes a step to download a MAC address into the RAM.

Claim 29

A computer-readable medium according to claim 23, wherein the downloading step includes a step to download a checksum value into the RAM.

Claim 30

A computer-readable medium according to claim 23, wherein the downloading step is performed immediately after an interactive network board test.

Claim 31

A computer-readable medium according to claim 23, wherein the downloading step includes a step to download a ROM firmware image into the RAM.

Claim 32

A computer-readable medium according to claim 23, wherein the verifying step includes a step to determine a checksum value of the executable file and to compare the determined checksum value with a checksum value in the checksum packet attached to the executable file, and wherein, in the case that the determined checksum value does not equal the checksum value in the checksum packet, an error signal is output.

Claim 33

A computer-readable medium according to claim 23, further comprising a sending step to send a "flash complete" signal to the LAN after the executable file has been loaded.