Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main controller, a universal serial bus (USB) interface to which an external USB device is connected, a voltage bus (VBUS) power supply to supply power to the USB interface through the VBUS line, a voltage change detector to output a wake-up signal to the main controller if a voltage change occurs on the VBUS line, a USB host controller to perform data communication with the USB device connected through the USB interface, and an image forming job performing unit to perform an image forming job according to control by the main controller.

Abstract: The image forming apparatus includes a storage section that stores firmware and a connection section that serves to connect the apparatus to a network. The apparatus receives through the connection section, an e-mail enclosing an attachment of the firmware data, and having a header portion containing an exclusive command indicating that firmware data used for updating the version of the firmware is attached and data indicating a transmitter. Then, the apparatus, when judged that the header portion includes the exclusive command, updates the version of the firmware stored in the storage section with the firmware data. Further, the apparatus forms an e-mail indicating the updating of the firmware has been successfully carried out or resulted in failure and then send it back to the transmitter of the e-mail via the connection section.