Application with multiple embedded drivers

• US 20060026602A1
• Filed: 08/02/2004
• Published: 02/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Duplichan, Steven Scott
• Granted Patent: US 7,424,719 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 719/321
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4411 Configuring for operating with peripheral devices; Loading of device drivers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44536 Selecting among different versions

Abstract

Various systems, methods, and programs embodied in computer-readable mediums are provided for driver execution in association with an application. When an application is executed in a computer system, a processor compatibility of an operating system executed in the computer system is determined. In this respect, the operating system is compatible with one of a plurality of predefined types of processors. An association is drawn between the processor compatibility of the operating system and one of a plurality of drivers embedded in the application, where the one of the drivers is compatible with the operating system. The execution of the one of the drivers that is compatible with the operating system is implemented in the computer system.

Claims

1. A method for driver execution in association with an application, comprising:

executing the application in a computer system;

determining a processor compatibility of an operating system executed in a computer system after the execution of the application, wherein the operating system is compatible with one of a plurality of predefined types of processors;

drawing an association between the processor compatibility of the operating system and one of a plurality of drivers embedded in the application, the one of the drivers being compatible with the operating system; and

implementing an execution of the one of the drivers that is compatible with the operating system in the computer system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the implementing of the execution of the one of the drivers that is compatible with the operating system in the computer system further comprises:

automatically copying the one of the drivers from the application to a mass storage device; and

automatically initiating an execution of the one of the drivers in the computer system from the mass storage device with the application.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising closing the one of the drivers upon a closing of the application.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising deleting the one of the drivers from a mass storage device after the closing of the one of the drivers.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the automatically copying of the one of the drivers from the application to the mass storage device further comprises automatically copying of the one of the drivers from the application to a hard drive in the computer system.

6. A program embodied in a computer readable medium for driver execution, comprising:

an application;

a plurality of drivers embedded in the application, each of the drivers being compatible with a corresponding one of a plurality of operating systems, wherein each of the operating systems is compatible with a corresponding one of a plurality of predefined types of processors;

a loader included in the application, the loader comprising;

code that draws an association between the processor compatibility of one of the operating systems and the compatible one of the drivers; and

code that implements an execution of the compatible one of the drivers in a computer system in conjunction with an execution of the application in the computer system.

7. The program embodied in the computer readable medium of claim 6, wherein the code that implements the execution of the compatible one of the drivers in the computer system in conjunction with the execution of the application in the computer system further comprises:

code that automatically copies the compatible one of the drivers from the application to a mass storage device associated with the computer system; and

code that automatically initiates the execution of the compatible one of the drivers in the computer system from the mass storage device.

8. The program embodied in the computer readable medium of claim 6, further comprising code that closes the compatible one of the drivers upon a closing of the application.

9. The program embodied in the computer readable medium of claim 8, further comprising code that deletes the compatible one of the drivers from a mass storage device after the closing of the compatible one of the drivers.

10. The program embodied in the computer readable medium of claim 7, wherein the code that automatically copies the compatible one of the drivers from the application to the mass storage device associated with the computer system further comprises code that automatically copies the compatible one of the drivers from the application to a hard drive in the computer system.

11. A system for driver execution, comprising:

a processor circuit having a processor and a memory;

an application stored in the memory and executable by the processor, the application comprising;

a plurality of drivers embedded in the application, each of the drivers being compatible with a corresponding one of a plurality of operating systems, wherein each of the operating systems is compatible with a corresponding one of a plurality of predefined types of processors;

a loader included in the application, the loader comprising;

logic that draws an association between one of the operating systems compatible with the processor and the compatible one of the drivers; and

logic that implements an execution of the compatible one of the drivers by the processor in conjunction with an execution of the application by the processor.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the logic that implements an execution of the compatible one of the drivers by the processor in conjunction with an execution of the application by the processor further comprises:

logic that automatically copies the compatible one of the drivers from the application to a mass storage device associated with the processor circuit; and

logic that automatically initiates the execution of the compatible one of the drivers by the processor from the mass storage device.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the loader further comprises logic that closes the compatible one of the drivers upon a closing of the application.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the loader further comprises logic that deletes the compatible one of the drivers from a mass storage device after the closing of the compatible one of the drivers.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the mass storage device is a hard drive operatively coupled to the processor circuit.

16. A system for driver execution, comprising:

means for executing an application having a plurality of embedded drivers, each of the embedded drivers being compatible with a corresponding one of a plurality of operating systems, wherein each of the operating systems is compatible with a corresponding one of a plurality of predefined types of processors;

means for drawing an association between the processor compatibility of one of the operating systems and a compatible one of the embedded drivers; and

means for implementing an execution of the compatible one of the embedded drivers in a computer system in conjunction with an execution of the application in the computer system.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the means for implementing the execution of the compatible one of the embedded drivers in the computer system in conjunction with the execution of the application in the computer system further comprises:

means for automatically copying the compatible one of the embedded drivers from the application to a mass storage device; and

means for automatically initiating the execution of the compatible one of the embedded drivers by the processor from the mass storage device.

18. The system of claim 16, further comprising means for closing the compatible one of the embedded drivers upon a closing of the application.

19. The system of claim 18, further comprising means for deleting the compatible one of the embedded drivers from a mass storage device after the closing of the compatible one of the embedded drivers.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the mass storage device is a hard drive operatively coupled to the processor circuit.