Pre-configured settings for portable devices

• US 20060294209A1
• Filed: 06/27/2005
• Published: 12/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Sadovsky, Vladimir, Rosenbloom, Oren
• Granted Patent: US 7,467,162 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/220
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/437 Administration of user profiles, e.g. generation, initialisation, adaptation, distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00204 with a digital computer or a digital computer system, e.g. an internet server programmed control between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device H04N1/32561
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0097 Storage of instructions or parameters, e.g. customised instructions or different parameters for different user IDs
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00973 from a remote device, e.g. receiving via the internet instructions input to a computer terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0084 Digital still camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/60 Control of cameras or camera modules
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/617 Upgrading or updating of programs or applications for camera control
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99948 Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image

Abstract

A system, method, and computer-readable media are disclosed for retrieving configuration files from host units to devices. The system, method, and computer-readable media can, through a media device, detect when a surrounding condition has changed so that the media device can benefit from at least one configuration file. If the media device determines that a change to a surrounding condition has occurred, the media device can then retrieve a configuration file from a designated host unit.

Claims

1. A system for retrieving configuration files from one or more host units to at least one device comprising:

an interface for transmitting current properties and capabilities of a device to a host unit, the interface also adapted to automatically retrieve at least one configuration file from the host unit to the device;

a detection unit for detecting when to automatically retrieve the at least one configuration file from the host unit; and

a storage unit for storing the at least one configuration file on the device.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one configuration file includes at least one group of pre-configured device property settings and a group of pre-configured user-specific property settings.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein the at least one configuration file is retrieved from the host unit to the device when the detection unit detects that at least one surrounding condition has changed so that the device can benefit from the at least one configuration file.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein the detection unit detects that there is a change in the at least one surrounding condition by measuring the at least one surrounding condition and comparing to at least one previously-stored default configuration file.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein the detection unit detects a change has occurred that requires retrieving the at least one configuration file when the at least one previously-stored default configuration file is not adapted to handle the measured surrounding condition.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one configuration file is managed by the host unit including include securing, backing up, and restoring the at least one configuration file.

7. The system according to claim 1, further comprising, before retrieving the at least one configuration file, at least one of the device and the host unit deciding between whether to apply the at least one configuration file immediately upon retrieval and whether to apply the at least one configuration file for use sometime in the future.

8. A method for retrieving configuration files from one or more host units to at least one device comprising:

detecting when at least one surrounding condition has changed so that a device can benefit from at least one configuration file; and

automatically retrieving the at least one configuration file from a host unit upon detecting that the at least one surrounding condition has changed so that the device can benefit from the at least one configuration file.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising detecting that there is a change in the at least one surrounding condition by measuring the at least one surrounding condition and comparing to at least one previously-stored default configuration file.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising detecting that a change has occurred that requires an automatic retrieval of the at least one configuration file when the at least one previously-stored default configuration file is not adapted to handle the at least one measured surrounding condition.

11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising setting the at least one configuration file retrieved from the host unit as the new default configuration file.

12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising retrieving another configuration file when the detection unit detects that the new default configuration file is not adapted to handle subsequently measured surrounding conditions.

13. The method according to claim 8, further comprising manually retrieving the at least one configuration file from the host unit.

14. The method according to claim 8, further comprising, before retrieving the at least one configuration file, deciding between whether to apply the at least one configuration file immediately upon retrieval and whether to apply the at least one configuration file for use sometime in the future.

15. One or more computer-readable media with instructions for executing the method for retrieving configuration files from one or more host units to at least one device comprising:

detecting when at least one surrounding condition has changed so that a device can benefit from at least one configuration file; and

automatically retrieving the at least one configuration file from a host unit upon detecting that the at least one surrounding condition has changed so that the device can benefit from the at least one configuration file.

16. The computer-readable media according to claim 15, wherein the at least one configuration file includes at least one group of pre-configured device property settings and a group of pre-configured user-specific property settings.

17. The computer readable media according to claim 15, further comprising detecting that there is a change in the at least one surrounding condition by measuring the at least one surrounding condition and comparing to at least one previously-stored default configuration file.

18. The computer-readable media according to claim 16, further comprising detecting that a change has occurred that requires an automatic retrieval of the at least one configuration file when the at least one previously-stored default configuration file is not adapted to handle the at least one measured surrounding condition.

19. The computer-readable media according to claim 15, further comprising pre-selecting the host unit from which the at least one configuration file is retrieved before detecting the at least one surrounding condition has changed.

20. The computer-readable media according to claim 15, further comprising transmitting information regarding the device'"'"'s properties and capabilities to the host unit, the host unit synchronizing necessary settings between the at least one configuration file and a current state of the device.