DEVICE INSTALLATION WITH HOST CONTROLLER CONSIDERATION

• US 20070239903A1
• Filed: 02/27/2006
• Published: 10/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Lafky, Joby, Bhardwaj, Vatsal, Spinrad, Sanford
• Granted Patent: US 7,725,613 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/8
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4411 Configuring for operating with peripheral devices; Loading of device drivers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4413 Plug-and-play [PnP]

Abstract

A system for installing an electronic device connected to a host device with consideration given to the host controller that enables the connection mechanism is provided. Information about the electronic device and the host controller is determined. An identifier that identifies the electronic device and the host controller is created based on the determined information. The identifier is used to search for a device driver for the electronic device that is specific to the host controller.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a Bluetooth host controller configured to provide a connection for an electronic device to connect to the apparatus;

an enumerator configured to retrieve a device identifier from the connected electronic device and a controller identifier from the Bluetooth host controller, the enumerator further configured to generate a controller specific device identifier based, at least in part, on the device identifier and the controller identifier; and

an installation manager configured to receive the controller specific device identifier and to search for a driver for installing the electronic device.

2. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the device identifier is included in a first string and the controller identifier is included in a second string.

3. The apparatus as recited in claim 2, wherein the enumerator is further configured to concatenate the first string and the second string to generate a third string that includes the controller specific device identifier.

4. The apparatus as recited in claim 3, wherein the installation manager is a plug and play module.

5. The apparatus as recited in claim 4, wherein the third string is a plug and play ID.

6. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the installation manager is further configured to search for the driver in a library.

7. The apparatus as recited in claim 6, wherein the library is included in at least one of a data storage, hard drive, computer-readable media, optical disc, or network location.

8. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the installation manager is further configured to determine multiple drivers from the search and to select at least one of the drivers for installing based, at least in part, on a pre-determined priority.

9. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the pre-determined priority includes giving the driver that is specific to the controller priority over a generic driver that functions with any controller.

10. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the electronic device includes at least one of a mouse, keyboard, camera, printer, headphone, portable storage unit, game controller, wire or wireless phone, memory card reader, or security device.

11. One or more device-readable media encoded with device-executable instructions for performing steps comprising:

identifying an electronic device coupled to a host via a connection provided by a controller;

receiving a first identifier that identifies the electronic device;

receiving a second identifier that identifies the controller;

generating a controller specific device identifier based, at least in part, on the first and second identifiers; and

providing the controller specific device identifier to a manager for installing the electronic device.

12. The one or more device-readable media as recited in claim 11, further comprising concatenating the first identifier and the second identifier to generate the controller specific device identifier.

13. The one or more device-readable media as recited in claim 11, wherein the controller specific device identifier is a plug and play ID.

14. The one or more device-readable media as recited in claim 11, wherein the connection is at least one of Universal Serial Bus (USB), wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi), Bluetooth, wireless USB, or infrared.

15. One or more device-readable media encoded with device-executable instructions for performing steps comprising:

identifying an electronic device connected to a host via a connection provided by a controller;

receiving an identifier that identifies the electronic device and the controller;

searching in a library for at least one driver based, at least in part, on the identifier; and

installing the at least one driver for the electronic device.

16. The one or more device-readable media as recited in claim 15, wherein the connection is Bluetooth and the controller is a Bluetooth host controller.

17. The one or more device-readable media as recited in claim 15, further comprising:

returning multiple drivers from the searching;

prioritizing the drivers; and

selecting the driver with the highest priority.

18. The one or more device-readable media as recited in claim 17, wherein a driver that is specific to the controller has a higher priority than a generic driver that is applicable to any controller.

19. The one or more device-readable media as recited in claim 15, wherein the identifier includes a first string provided by the electronic device and a second string provided by the controller.

20. The one or more device-readable media as recited in claim 19, wherein the identifier is a concatenation of the first string and the second string.