Device and method for automatically installing software by wireless identification

• US 20030078036A1
• Filed: 10/19/2001
• Published: 04/24/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Embedded Solution Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Embedded Solution Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Chang, Yuan-Jung, Khoo, Bee Yeong, Liao, Chien-Kun, Kao, Chun-Wei, Chung, Chia-Ming, Ferng, Shyhjir
• Application Number:
  US09/981,724
• Publication Number:
  US 20030078036A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/419
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4411 Configuring for operating with peripheral devices; Loading of device drivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72406 by software upgrading or downloading

Abstract

A method for automatically installing software by the wireless identification is proposed for a master device and a remote wireless device. The remote wireless device is stored with at least one wireless communication protocol, driver, and application program. The remote wireless device seriatim checks for one available wireless communication protocol for the master device and the remote wireless device, and then the master device sends internal system resource and environment parameters of itself to the remote wireless device for setting control commands and parameters acceptable for the master device and the remote wireless device both. The remote wireless device sends the driver or the application program to the master device for being installed in the master device.

Claims

1. A method for automatically installing software by wireless identifications and transmissions, enabling at least one remote wireless device transmitting software and control commands to a master device, for exchanging information, controlling remotely, and installing and configuring the software with the remote wireless device, the method comprising following steps of:

storing at least one wireless communication protocol in the remote wireless device;

choosing one of the wireless communication protocols in sequence for communicating with the master device;

the master device sending configuration settings thereof, including internal system resource and environment parameters, to the remote wireless device for establishing the configuration settings and the environment parameters acceptable for both of the master device and the remote wireless device;

storing at least one driver or application program in the remote wireless device for transmitting the driver or the application program to the master device, and the driver or the application program being installed and executed in the master device.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step that the remote wireless device stores the internal system resource and the environment parameters of the master device therein while communicating with each other for the first time and asks the master device not to retransmit the internal system resource and the environmental parameters unless the internal system resource and the environment parameters are changed.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step that the master device stores version number of the driver and the application program after installing and executing the driver and the application program and reinstalls the driver or the application program if the driver or the application program updates its version number.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication protocol comprises an IrDA, a Bluetooth, a 802.11x, a RF, a Hiper LAN, an IR, or a laser communication protocol.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the communication protocol is established by a protocol detection program, which comprises:

(a) the remote wireless device choosing one of the communication protocols;

(b) the remote wireless device sending a link command for searching the master device according to the communication protocol;

(c) the master device detecting the link command from the remote wireless device;

(d) if the master device identifying the link command, execute step (e), else back to step (c);

(e) the master device sending a reply signal to the remote wireless device for receiving information from the remote wireless device;

(f) the remote wireless device continually detecting the reply signal from the master device, if no, back to the step (a) for choosing another communication protocol and then communicating with the master device again, if yes, back to the step (g);

(g) the remote wireless device completing the communication with the master device; and

(h) the master device completing the communication with the remote wireless device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the master device sends configuration settings thereof to the remote wireless device by a configuration inquiry/detection program, which comprises:

(a) the remote wireless device sending an inquiry command for checking whether the master device comprises the configuration inquiry/detection program;

(b) the master device receiving the inquiry command from the remote wireless device;

(c) the master device replying if the master device comprises the configuration inquiry/detection program or not to the remote wireless device;

(d) the remote wireless device determining whether the master device comprises the configuration inquiry/detection program;

if yes, go to step (e), if not, go to step (i);

(e) the remote wireless device sending an inquiry command for asking version number of the configuration inquiry/detection program;

(f) the master device receiving the inquiry command for asking version number;

(g) the master device replying the version number to the remote wireless device;

(h) the remote wireless device determining whether the configuration inquiry/detection program requires update or not;

if yes, go to step (i), if not, go to step (m);

(i) the remote wireless device sending codes of the configuration inquiry/detection program to the master device;

(j) the master device receiving the codes of the configuration inquiry/detection program from the remote wireless device;

(k) the master device executing the configuration inquiry/detection program;

(l) the configuration detection program sending the configuration settings of the master device to the remote wireless device;

(m) the remote wireless device receiving the configuration settings of the master device; and

(n) the remote wireless device storing the configuration settings of the master device to establish the configuration settings and the environment parameters acceptable for the remote wireless device and the master device both.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the driver is installed by a software installation program, which comprises:

(a) the remote wireless device sending an inquiry command for checking whether the driver or the application program is installed in the master device and version number of the driver and the application program are stored in the master device or not;

(b) the master device receiving the inquiry command from the remote wireless device;

(c) the master device replying if the software installation program is installed in itself or not to the remote wireless device;

(d) the remote wireless device determining whether the master device is installed with the driver or the application program therein, if true, go to step (e), else go to step (f);

(e) the remote wireless device determining whether the version number of the driver and the application program require updates, if true, go to step (f), if not, go to step (j);

(f) the remote wireless device sending the codes of the driver or the application program to the master device;

(g) the master device receiving the codes of the driver or the application program from the remote wireless device;

(h) the master device executing the driver or the application program;

(i) the master device exchanging data and control massages with the remote wireless device by the driver installed by the software installation program; and

(j) the remote wireless device exchanging the data and the control massages with the master device.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step, which is completed by a preference management program, that the master device sends a personalized control mode or preference data to the remote wireless device, the preference management program comprising:

(a) the remote wireless device sending an inquiry command for checking whether the master device is installed with the preference management program;

(b) the master device replying if the preference management program is installed in the master device to the remote wireless device;

(c) the remote wireless device determining whether the master device is installed with the preference management program, if yes, go to step (d), if not, go to step (e);

(d) the remote wireless device sending codes of the preference management program to the master device;

(e) the master device executing the preference management program;

(f) a set of preference values being generated according to the operation preferences of a user while operating the master device and the remote wireless device;

(g) the master device sending the preference values to the remote wireless device;

(h) the remote wireless device adjusting the preference values according to the operation preferences of the user continually and storing the preference values;

(i) the remote wireless device sending the adjusted preference values to the master device;

(j) the master device storing the preference values and adjusting the preference values according to the operation preferences of the user continually;

(k) the master device determining whether the preference values are changed or not, if yes, go to step (h), if not, go to step (j).

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step, which is completed by a database transferring program, that a database of the remote wireless device is transferred to the master device by the database transferring program for updating data of the remote wireless device and the master device simultaneously, the database transferring program comprising:

(a) a user setting that the database of the remote wireless device needs to be transferred;

(b) the remote wireless device backing up the environment parameters of the master device;

(c) the remote wireless device sending contents of the database of itself to the master device;

(d) the remote wireless device waiting for the transmission of the contents of the database of the remote wireless device from the master device;

(e) the remote wireless device checking whether the master device requires an off-line or not, if true, go to step (f), if not, go to step (d);

(f) the remote wireless device requesting the database and the environment variables of the master device need to be removed or not, if yes, go to step (g), if not, go to step (i);

(g) the remote wireless device sending a command for removing the database of the master device;

(h) the remote wireless device sending the backup environment parameters to the master device and restoring the previous environment of the master device;

(i) the remote wireless device being off-line with the master device.

10. An device for automatically installing software by wireless identification and transmission comprising:

a master device with a wireless transmission module for receiving or sending data according to a wireless communication protocol;

a remote wireless device with the wireless transmission module for communicating with the master device;

a database set within the remote wireless device and storing at least one wireless communication protocol, driver and application program, as well as functional information of the master device, installing information of the application program, personalized control mode and preference information data; and

a central processing unit within the remote wireless device for detecting the communication protocol with the master device, the installing information of the driver and the application program, transmission of the control commands, and fetching parameters of the master device.

11. The device of claim 10 wherein the master device is an information device with wireless communication function such as a desktop computer, a mainframe computer, a server, or a portable computer.

12. The device of claim 10 wherein the master device is a compact information device with wireless communication function such as a handheld computer, a PDA or a cellular phone.

13. The device of claim 10 wherein the remote wireless device is a computer peripheral with wireless communication function such as a printer, a monitor, a digital pad, a mouse, a scanner, a modem or a network terminal.

14. The device of claim 10 wherein the remote wireless device is a compact information device with wireless communication function such as a handheld computer, a PDA or a cellular phone.

15. The device of claim 10 wherein the database is a storage media such as an EEPROM, a flash memory, a floppy disk, a hard disk or a CD/DVD.