Device-based model for software driver delivery and upgrade

• US 20030088866A1
• Filed: 11/05/2001
• Published: 05/08/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Boldon, John Leland, Halpern, Joseph Edward III
• Granted Patent: US 7,624,391 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/170
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4411 Configuring for operating with peripheral devices; Loading of device drivers

Abstract

A method and apparatus for facilitating the upgrade of device drivers for computer peripheral devices includes detecting a version of the device driver in use by the computer from data sent by the computer to the peripheral device determining whether the version of the device driver may be out of date signaling the computer if it is determined that a newer version of the device driver may be available.

Claims

1. A method for facilitating the upgrade of a device driver for a computer peripheral device, comprising:

detecting a version of the device driver in use by the computer from data sent by the computer to the peripheral device;

determining whether the version of the device driver may be out of date;

signaling the computer if it is determined that the device driver may be out of date.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising storing a copy of at least one updated device driver in a predetermined location that may be accessed by the computer.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising providing data to the computer to enable the computer to locate an updated device driver.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein determining whether the version may be out of date comprises detecting a version identifier from data sent by the computer to the peripheral device and evaluating the version identifier to determine if the version may be the latest.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein evaluating the version identifier comparing the version identifier to at least one version identifier stored in the peripheral device.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the at least one version identifier stored in the peripheral device is updated if a version identifier detected from data sent by the computer to the peripheral device is encountered that is more recent than the at least one version identifier stored in the peripheral device.

7. An imaging device comprising:

a driver management facility to detect a version of a device driver from data sent by the computer to the imaging device;

a notification module to transmit information back to the computer about the version of the device driver.

8. The imaging device of claim 7 wherein the information is used to display a message to an end user.

9. The imaging device of claim 7 wherein an update copy of a device driver is stored in a memory of the imaging device.

10. The imaging device of claim 9 wherein the memory of the imaging device is removable.

11. The computer peripheral device of claim 7 wherein the data comprises printer control language.

12. The computer peripheral device of claim 7 wherein the data comprises data in a file header.

13. The computer peripheral device of claim 7 wherein the peripheral device provides information to the computer to enable the computer to obtain a newer version of the device driver.

14. The computer peripheral device of claim 13 wherein the information comprises an address.

15. The computer peripheral device of claim 7 wherein the imaging device maintains a list of version identifiers of device drivers.

16. The computer peripheral device of claim 7 wherein the peripheral device stores a copy of an updated device driver.

17. The computer peripheral device of claim 7 wherein the peripheral device retrieves a copy of an updated device driver from a remote storage location upon detecting that the device driver in use may be out of date.

18. A computer-readable media tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by a computer and/or a computer peripheral device to perform a method for facilitating the upgrade of device drivers for computer peripheral devices, the method comprising:

detecting a version of the device driver in use by the computer from data sent by the computer to the peripheral device;

determining, by the peripheral device, whether the version of the device driver may be out of date;

signaling the computer if it is determined that a newer version of the device driver may be available.

19. The media as in claim 18 wherein determining by the peripheral device whether the version may be out of date comprises detecting a version identifier by the peripheral device from data sent by the computer to the peripheral device and evaluating the version identifier by the peripheral device to determine if the version may be out of date.

20. Media as in claim 19 wherein the method further comprises

storing a copy of at least one updated device driver in a predetermined location;

and

providing information to the computer by the peripheral device enabling the computer to locate and download a copy of the at least one updated device driver if the peripheral device has determined that the updated device driver is a newer version than the version in use by the computer.