TRANSFERABLE COMPONENT THAT EFFECTUATES PLUG-AND-PLAY

• US 20090037612A1
• Filed: 10/06/2008
• Published: 02/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Koch, Zeke, Peev, Igor B.
• Granted Patent: US 8,086,772 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416

Abstract

A plug-and-play system comprises an agent component that includes instructions for enabling a first device and a mobile device to be compatible upon detecting a connection between the first device and the second device. A transfer component pushes the agent component from the mobile device to the first device, the agent component executes upon reaching the first device. For example, the mobile device can be a mobile phone, a PDA, a personal organizer, and the like, and the first device can be a personal computer, a laptop computer, or a mobile device.

Claims

1. A plug-and-play system comprising the following computer-executable components:

a mobile device including a plurality of agent components, each agent component includes instructions for enabling a first device and the mobile device to be compatible upon establishing a connection between the first device and the second device, wherein each agent component is compatible with at least one of a plurality of operating systems, at least two agent components are compatible with a different operating system from each other; and

a transfer component that pushes one of the plurality of agent components from the mobile device to the first device based upon the hardware and software characteristics of the first device, the agent component executes upon reaching the first device.

2. The system of claim 1, each agent component comprises at least one of a device driver, a communication protocol, a security component, a Mobile Operator software, an original equipment manufacturer program, and an original equipment manufacturer program update.

3. The system of claim 1, each agent component comprises a detection component that detects at least one of an operating system associated with the first device, identity of the mobile device, software resident upon the first device, and software necessary to enable compatibility between the first device and the mobile device.

4. The system of claim 3, the detection component detects a connection between the first device and the mobile device, the connection is at least one of a physical connection and a wireless connection.

5. The system of claim 1, each agent component comprises a download component that employs at least one of a first device Internet connection and a mobile device Internet connection to download applicable compatibility software.

6. The system of claim 5, the download component employs one of an Internet connection and a storage media to obtain necessary supplemental media.

7. The system of claim 6, the necessary supplemental media is software related to at least one of original equipment manufacturer software, media samples, ads, and browser favorites.

8. The system of claim 1, the transferred agent component executes on the first device to configure compatibility between the first device and the mobile device.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising a query component that requests input relating to the agent components.

10. The system of claim 9, the query component provides a query to a user regarding whether a connection between the mobile device and the first device is desired.

11. The system of claim 9, the query component provides a query to a user regarding whether to push an agent component to the first device.

12. The system of claim 11, the query component instructs the transfer component to push the one of the plurality of agent components to the first device upon an input to the query indicating that an agent component should be pushed to the first device.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the mobile device is at least one of a camera, a personal organizer, a personal digital assistant, a mobile phone, or media player.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the first device is a personal computer or another mobile device.

15. A method for enabling plug-and play functionality between a mobile device and a first device comprising the following computer-executable acts:

coupling the mobile device and the first device, the mobile device including a plurality of agent programs, each agent program includes instructions for enabling the first device and the mobile device to be compatible upon establishing a connection between the first device and the second device, wherein each agent component is compatible with at least one of a plurality of operating systems, at least two agent components are compatible with a different operating system from each other;

transferring one of the patent agent programs from the mobile device to the first device upon detection of the mobile device and the first device being coupled based upon the hardware and software characteristics of the first device; and

utilizing the agent program to enable the mobile device to be compatible with the first device.

16. The method of claim 15, coupling the mobile device and the first device comprises at least one of wirelessly coupling the mobile device and the first device and coupling the mobile device and the first device by way of wireline.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising updating the agent programs upon the mobile device.

18. The method of claim 17, updating the agent programs comprising obtaining software related to at least one of original equipment manufacturer software, media samples, ads, and browser favorites

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising prompting a user to at least one of initiate communication between the mobile device and the first device, and initiate transfer of the one of the agent programs from the mobile device to the first device.

20. A system that facilitates plug-and-play functionality between a mobile device and a first device, comprising:

a plurality of means for configuring synchronization between the first device and the mobile device, the plurality of means for configuring synchronization is stored on the mobile device, wherein each of the plurality of means for configuring synchronization is compatible with at least one of a plurality of operating systems, at least two of the plurality of means for configuring synchronization are compatible with a different operating system from each other;

means for transferring one of the plurality of means for configuring synchronization from the mobile device to the first device, based upon the hardware and software characteristics of the first device.