Automatic detection and installation of client peripheral devices by a server

• US 20040210897A1
• Filed: 05/18/2004
• Published: 10/21/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Brockway, Tad Dennis, Appiah, Madan Mohan R., Bahl, Ritu, Overton, Adam J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,600,227 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/174
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1204 resulting in reduced user or operator actions, e.g. presetting, automatic actions, using hardware token storing data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1225 Software update, e.g. print driver, modules, plug-ins, fonts
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1288 in client-server-printer device configuration
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4411 Configuring for operating with peripheral devices; Loading of device drivers
• 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 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

A server-client system is configured to automatically detect and install peripheral devices, such as printers, scanners, etc. that are attached to a client. The server is configured to detect the peripheral device and install a driver that is compatible with the peripheral device. The I/O queue created for the peripheral device is redirected to the port to which the peripheral device is connected.

Claims

1. A method for automatically configuring a server for use with peripheral devices connected at a client, the method comprising:

receiving a peripheral identifier uniquely identifying a peripheral device newly connected at the client; and

in response to receiving the peripheral identifier, automatically installing a peripheral driver for use with the peripheral device identified by the received peripheral identifier.

2. The method recited in claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a peripheral identifier uniquely identifying a peripheral device newly disconnected from the client; and

in response to receiving the peripheral identifier, automatically removing a peripheral driver used with the peripheral device identified by the received peripheral identifier.

3. The method recited in claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a peripheral identifier uniquely identifying a peripheral device newly disconnected from the client; and

in response to receiving the peripheral identifier, automatically uninstalling a peripheral driver used with the peripheral device identified by the received peripheral identifier.

4. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the identified peripheral device is a Plug And Play compatible peripheral device, and the received peripheral identifier is a Plug And Play identifier.

5. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the identified peripheral device is a printer.

6. A method comprising:

automatically identifying a peripheral device at a client; and

notifying a server of the identified peripheral device to allow the server to install a peripheral driver corresponding to the identified peripheral device at the server.

7. The method recited in claim 6, wherein the automatically identifying is performed by a Plug and Play subsystem.

8. The method recited in claim 6, wherein the automatically identifying is performed by the client in response to one or more requests for enumerations of client peripheral devices by the server.

9. A method comprising:

receiving notification of a peripheral device having been automatically identified at a client; and

installing, at a server, a peripheral driver corresponding to the peripheral device for use with the peripheral device.

10. The method recited in claim 9, wherein the receiving notification of a peripheral device comprises receiving a Plug and Play identifier corresponding to a peripheral device that has been automatically identified at a client.

11. The method recited in claim 9, wherein the receiving notification of a peripheral device is accomplished by comparing a first enumeration of periheral devices received from the client with a second enumeration of peripheral devices received from the client.

12. A client/server computer system, comprising:

a server;

at least one client having an input/output port;

wherein the server provides services utilizing one or more peripheral devices of the client;

the server being configured to automatically install a peripheral driver for a peripheral device that is newly connected to the client without requiring user intervention.

13. The client/server computer system recited in claim 12, wherein the server is further configured to automatically uninstall the peripheral driver used with the peripheral device when the peripheral device is disconnected from the client.

14. The client/server computer system recited in claim 12, wherein the server is further configured to automatically remove the peripheral driver used with the peripheral device when the peripheral device is disconnected from the client.

15. The client/server computer system recited in claim 12, wherein the client comprises a terminal.

16. The client/server computer system recited in claim 12, wherein the client comprises a computer.

17. The client/server computer system recited in claim 12, wherein the server is further configured to automatically detect the newly connected peripheral device, the automatically detecting comprising:

receiving a peripheral identifier from the client that uniquely identifies the newly connected peripheral device; and

wherein the server utilizes the peripheral identifier to automatically install the peripheral driver.

18. The client/server computer system recited in claim 17 wherein the peripheral identifier is a Plug And Play identifier.

19. A server system, comprising:

a printing subsystem configured to receive a peripheral identifier from a client;

a printer driver associated with the peripheral identifier configured to install a printer connected to an I/O port of a client, including setting up a print queue on the server for the printer; and

a peripheral mapping unit to redirect printer data to the I/O port of the client.

20. The server system as recited in claim 19, wherein the printer is a Plug And Play compatible printer and the peripheral identifier is a Plug And Play identifier.

21. The server system as recited in claim 19, wherein the printing subsystem received the peripheral identifier without requiring interaction by a user.

22. The server system as recited in claim 19, wherein the peripheral device driver is installed without requiring interaction by a user.

23. The server system as recited in claim 19, wherein the printer subsystem is further configured to receive the peripheral identifier from the client in response to at least one request by the printer subsystem to the client for an enumeration of peripheral identifiers corresponding to printers connected at the client.