NETWORK PERIPHERAL DEVICE DRIVER INSTALLER

• US 20020147795A1
• Filed: 02/24/1999
• Published: 10/10/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: CANTWELL, CHARLES E.
• Granted Patent: US 6,594,690 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/220
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4411 Configuring for operating with peripheral devices; Loading of device drivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A system and method install a device driver for a device. A browser is used to browse to a website where a driver resides. The browser downloads executable code. Either the browser or a user provides the executable code information about the device. The executable code builds a list of available drivers for the device from the drivers stored at the driver website. Either the executable code or a user selects a driver from the list of drivers for the device. The executable code downloads the selected driver and stores it locally. The executable code then installs the selected driver.

Claims

1. A method for installing a device driver for a device, the method comprising:

(a) using a browser to browse to a driver website;

(b) the browser downloading executable code from the driver website;

(c) the browser executing the executable code;

(d) communicating to the executable code information about the device;

(e) selecting a device driver for the device; and

,

(f) the executable code installing the selected driver.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein using the browser to browse to the driver website includes:

(a) using the browser to browse to a website for the device, the device website having a link to the driver website; and

,

(b) using the browser to browse through the link to the driver website.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein using the browser to browse to the driver website includes:

(a) using the browser to browse to a network administrator website for the device, the network administrator website having a link to the driver website; and

,

(b) using the browser to browse through the link to the driver website.

4. The method of claim 1 further including the browser receiving information about the device from another website and wherein communicating to the executable code includes the browser communicating the information about the device to the executable code.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein communicating to the executable code includes a user providing the information to the executable code.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein selecting the driver for the device includes the executable code selecting a best driver for the device.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein selecting the driver for the device includes:

(a) the executable code building a list of available drivers for the device from available drivers stored at the website; and

,

(b) a user selecting one of the drivers from the list of available drivers.

8. A system for installing a device driver for a device, the system comprising:

(a) browser means for browsing to a driver website;

(b) browser means for downloading executable code from the driver website;

(c) means for executing the executable code;

(d) means for communicating to the executable code information about the device;

(e) means for selecting a device driver for the device; and

,

(f) executable code means for installing the selected driver.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the browser means for browsing to the driver website includes:

(a) means for browsing to a website for the device, the device website having a link to the driver website; and

,

(b) means for browsing through the link to the driver website.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein the browser means for browsing to the driver website includes:

(a) means for browsing to a website for a network administrator for the device, the network administrator website having a link to the driver website; and

,

(b) means for browsing through the link to the driver website.

11. The system of claim 8 further including means for the browser receiving information about the device from another website and wherein means for communicating to the executable code includes means for the browser communicating the information about the device to the executable code.

12. The system of claim 8 wherein the means for communicating to the executable code includes means for a user providing the information to the executable code.

13. The system of claim 8 wherein the means for selecting a device driver includes executable code means for selecting a best driver for the device.

14. The system of claim 8 the means for selecting a device driver includes:

(a) executable code means for building a list of available drivers for the device from available drivers stored at the website; and

,

(b) means for a user selecting one of the drivers from the list of available drivers.

16. The program storage device of claim 15 wherein the step of browsing to the driver website includes:

(a) the program, applet, or instructions browsing to a website for the device, the device website having a link to the driver website; and

,

(b) the program, applet, or instructions browsing through the link to the driver website.

17. The program storage device of claim 15 wherein the step of browsing to the driver website includes:

(a) the program, applet, or instructions browsing to a network administrator website for the device, the network administrator website having a link to the driver website; and

,

(b) the program, applet, or instructions browsing through the link to the driver website.

18. The program storage device of claim 15 further including the step of the program, applet, or instructions receiving information about the device from another website and wherein the step of communicating to the executable code includes the program, applet, or instructions communicating the information about the device to the executable code.

19. The program storage device of claim 15 further including the step of communicating to the executable code includes a user providing the information to the executable code.

20. The program storage device of claim 15 wherein the step of selecting a device driver for the device includes:

(a) the program, applet, or instructions building a list of available drivers for the device from available drivers stored at the website; and

,

(b) a user selecting one of the drivers from the list of available drivers.

15. A program storage device readable by a computer, tangibly embodying a program, applet, or instructions executable by the computer to perform method steps for installing a device driver for a device, the method steps comprising:

(a) browsing to a driver website;

(b) downloading executable code from the driver website;

(c) executing the executable code;

(d) communicating to the executable code information about the device;

(e) selecting a device driver for the device; and

,

(f) the executable code installing the selected driver.