HOST APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING THE SAME

• US 20090210567A1
• Filed: 02/20/2009
• Published: 08/20/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Hashimoto, Hiroyuki, Shinohara, Tadashi, Kubota, Tsukasa
• Application Number:
  US12/389,733
• Publication Number:
  US 20090210567A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/13
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4411 Configuring for operating with peripheral devices; Loading of device drivers

Abstract

A host apparatus communicates with a server that stores binary data containing a host apparatus supporting program that is necessary when the host apparatus is used with a predetermined one of a plurality of devices and a download program that downloads the host apparatus supporting program to the predetermined device, recognizes the predetermined device when the predetermined device is connected to the host apparatus, outputs a request to acquire the binary data to the server, stores the binary data in a storage unit of the host apparatus when the server inputs the binary data, executes the download program contained in the binary data stored in the storage unit to download the host apparatus supporting program to the predetermined device, and deletes the binary data from the storage unit after the download program is executed or when the use of the predetermined device is completed.

Claims

1. A host apparatus capable of sending and receiving data to and from any of a plurality of devices, the host apparatus comprising:

a storage unit that temporarily stores the data;

a device connection unit that is connectable to any of the plurality of devices;

a communication unit that communicates with a server that stores binary data containing a host apparatus supporting program that is necessary when the host apparatus is used with a predetermined one of the plurality of devices and a download program that downloads the host apparatus supporting program to the predetermined device; and

a control unit that recognizes the predetermined device when the predetermined device is connected to the device connection unit, outputs a request to acquire the binary data to the server via the communication unit, stores the binary data in the storage unit when the server inputs the binary data, executes the download program contained in the binary data stored in the storage unit to download the host apparatus supporting program to the predetermined device, and deletes the binary data from the storage unit after the download program is executed or when the use of the predetermined device is completed.

2. The host apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the control unit deletes the binary data from the storage unit when the control unit detects the turning off of a power supply switch to be the completion of the use of the predetermined device.

3. The host apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the control unit deletes the binary data from the storage unit when the control unit detects the disconnection of the predetermined device from the device connection unit to be the completion of the use of the predetermined device.

4. The host apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the predetermined device is any of a scanner, a tablet, and a digital camera, and

the host apparatus is a projector.

5. A method for controlling a host apparatus including a storage unit that temporarily stores data, a device connection unit that is connectable to any of a plurality of devices, and a communication unit that communicates with a server that stores binary data containing a host apparatus supporting program that is necessary when the host apparatus is used with a predetermined one of the plurality of devices and a download program that downloads the host apparatus supporting program to the predetermined device, the method comprising:

recognizing the predetermined device when the predetermined device is connected to the device connection unit, and outputting a request to acquire the binary data to the server via the communication unit, and

after the recognition of the device and the output of the request, storing the binary data in the storage unit when the server inputs the binary data, executing the download program contained in the binary data stored in the storage unit, and deleting the binary data from the storage unit after the download program is executed or when the use of the predetermined device is completed.

6. A method for controlling a host apparatus connected to a server via a communication line and connectable to any of a plurality of devices, the method comprising:

recognizing a predetermined device when the predetermined one of the plurality of devices is connected to the host apparatus,

outputting a request to acquire binary data to the server that stores binary data containing a host apparatus supporting program that is necessary when the host apparatus is used with the predetermined device and a download program that downloads the host apparatus supporting program to the predetermined device, and

storing the binary data in a storage unit of the host apparatus when the server inputs the binary data,

executing the download program contained in the binary data stored in the storage unit for downloading the host apparatus supporting program to the predetermined device, and

deleting the binary data from the storage unit after the download program is executed or when the use of the predetermined device is completed.