Self-installing computer peripherals

• US 20050278461A1
• Filed: 06/10/2004
• Published: 12/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Ohta, Seiya
• Granted Patent: US 7,293,117 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/8
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4415 Self describing peripheral devices

Abstract

A self-installing peripheral device is provided. The device includes an onboard memory that stores a device driver that enables the device to communicate with a computer operating system. When the device is connected to a computer, the device automatically downloads the device driver to the computer and installs the device driver. In some embodiments, the device is a USB device that may include an internal USB hub. The onboard memory is connected to the USB hub and the primary functionality of the USB device also connects to the computer via a single USB connection through the USB hub. In other embodiments, the device connects to the computer via a wireless connection protocol. Such a device may be a Bluetooth-enabled device.

Claims

1. A method for installing software to operate a peripheral device on a computing device comprising:

storing installation software in memory on the peripheral device;

upon detecting a connection between the computing device and peripheral device, installing the installation software onto the computing device to permit the operation of the peripheral device on the computing device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the peripheral device is a universal serial bus (USB) device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the peripheral device includes a USB hub having a plurality of ports.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the memory is connected to one of the plurality of ports of the USB hub.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the installation software includes a software device driver.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the installed software includes software for configuring one or more user settings of the peripheral device.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of configuring the one or more user settings of the peripheral device.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of storing the configured user settings in the memory on the peripheral device.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

removing the peripheral device from the computing device;

connecting the peripheral device to a second computing device;

upon detecting a connection between the second computing device and peripheral device, installing software to operate the peripheral device on the second computing device; and

configuring user settings of the peripheral device according to the configured user settings stored in the memory on the peripheral device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the connection is a wireless connection.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the peripheral device is a Bluetooth-enabled device.

12. In a self-installing peripheral device connected to a computing device, the peripheral device having installation software stored in a memory on the peripheral device, a method for providing additional storage on the peripheral device comprising:

copying the installation software from the peripheral device to the computing device; and

deleting the installation software from the memory on the peripheral device.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising adding the memory on the peripheral device to a file system on the computing device.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the self-installing peripheral device is one of a computer mouse, an MP3 player, a trackball, digital pen, joystick, digital camera, keyboard, network interface card, or a printer.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

prior to deleting the installation software from the memory on the peripheral device, querying a user to determine whether additional storage is desired on the peripheral device.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

prior to copying the installation software from the peripheral device to the computing device, querying a user to determine whether additional storage is desired on the peripheral device.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

updating a registry setting in the computing device to identify the location of the installation software on the computing device.

18. A method for maintaining updated software on a peripheral device connected to a first computing device comprising:

connecting to a remote computer;

downloading the updated software;

storing the updated software in a memory on the peripheral device; and

installing the updated software.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the updated software is a device driver for the peripheral device.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

prior to installing the updated software, querying a user to determine whether the updated software should be installed.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

disconnecting the peripheral device from the first computing device;

connecting the peripheral device to a second computing device;

upon detecting the connection between the peripheral device and the second computing device, installing the updated software on the second computing device.

22. A self-installing peripheral device comprising:

a memory located inside the housing of the peripheral device;

a hub device for receiving a connection from the memory; and

an additional device connected to the hub device.

23. The self-installing peripheral device of claim 22, wherein the memory has stored thereon a device driver for the additional device connected to the hub device.

24. The self-installing peripheral device of claim 23, wherein the self-installing peripheral device is a USB device.

25. The self-installing peripheral device of claim 24, wherein the hub is a USB hub.

26. The self-installing peripheral device of claim 25, wherein the additional device is a USB-compatible cursor control device.

27. The self-installing peripheral device of claim 26, wherein upon detecting a connection of the self-installing peripheral device to a computing device, the device driver is installed on the computing device.

28. The self-installing peripheral device of claim 26, wherein the memory is a USB flash memory.

29. The self-installing peripheral device of claim 28, further comprising:

an additional USB flash memory for storing an additional software thereon.

30. The self-installing peripheral device of claim 29, wherein the additional USB flash memory is connected to the USB hub.

31. The self-installing peripheral device of claim 30, wherein the device is a mouse having a sensor for determining displacement of the mouse relative to a supporting surface.

32. The self-installing peripheral device of claim 30, wherein the device is a trackball containing a rotable ball disposed on an upper surface of the device a sensor for determining the rotation of the ball relative to the upper surface.

33. The self-installing peripheral device of claim 30, wherein the device is one of a printer, a digital camera having a memory and a lens for capturing images, and a MP3 player having a memory and software for playing MP3 files.

34. The self-installing peripheral device of claim 22, wherein the connection is a wireless connection.

35. The self-installing peripheral device of claim 34, wherein the device is a Bluetooth-enabled device.