Device Flags

• US 20120246632A1
• Filed: 03/21/2011
• Published: 09/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Lupu, Corneliu I., Calinoiu, Silviu C., Petruta, Cristian G., Jargalsaihan, Batsaihan, Matichuk, Chris Ernest
• Granted Patent: US 9,003,363 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4413 Plug-and-play [PnP]

Abstract

Device flag techniques are described. In one or more implementations, responsive to detection by a computing device that a device has been communicatively coupled to bus of the computing device, a database is queried by the computing device to determine whether one or more flags have been set for the device. Responsive to a determination made as a result of the querying that the one or more flags have been set for the device identifier, information associated with the one or more flags is communicated to software that is associated with the device to configure the software.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

responsive to detection by a computing device that a device has been communicatively coupled to a bus of the computing device, querying a database by the computing device to determine whether one or more flags have been set for the device; and

responsive to a determination made as a result of the querying that the one or more flags have been set for the device identifier, communicating information associated with the one or more flags to software that is associated with the device to configure the driver.

2. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the information is configured for use in code path selection of the software.

3. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the information is to configure the software for device specific capabilities of the device.

4. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the software is an application.

5. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the software is a bus driver, class driver, or filter driver.

6. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the software is configured to handle capabilities of the device in accordance with a standard and the information is to configure the driver for capabilities of the device that do not involve the standard.

7. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the software is configured to handle capabilities of the device in accordance with a particular version of an operating system and the information is to configure the software for a previous version of the operating system.

8. A method as described in claim 1, further comprising communicating telemetry data via a network to a network service that describes usage of the information by the software.

9. A method as described in claim 8, wherein the telemetry data is usable to determine compatibility test requirements for introducing an update.

10. A method as described in claim 8, wherein the telemetry data is usable to identify particular said devices in a market that are to involve a firmware update to enable functionality of the device that otherwise would not be enabled.

11. A method as described in claim 8, wherein the telemetry data is usable to identify particular said devices in a market that have updated firmware and thus no longer involve usage of the one or more flags.

12. A method comprising:

receiving telemetry data via a network at one or more computing devices of a network service, the telemetry data identifying firmware of devices, corresponding drivers via which the devices communicate, and configuration of the drivers; and

processing the telemetry data at one or more computing device to determine which of the devices described in the telemetry data include firmware that involves an update to enable operation of functionality of the device in conjunction with a respective computing device that otherwise would not be enabled.

13. A method as described in claim 12, wherein the telemetry data is transmitted by respective computing devices responsive to the configuration of the drivers using information that correspond to one or more flags located through execution of an engine by the computing device, the one or more flags usable for code path selection of the driver or to enable device specific capabilities.

14. A method as described in claim 12, wherein the drivers are bus drivers, filter drivers, class drivers, or part of an application.

15. A method as described in claim 12, wherein the processing further includes determining compatibility tests to be applied for a subsequent version of an operating system that is to be executed by the computing device.

16. A method comprising:

detecting by a computing device that a device has been communicatively connected to a bus of the computing device;

obtaining a device identifier of the device by a bus driver that is executed on the computing device and manages the bus;

communicating the device identifier of the device by the bus driver to an engine that is executable on the computing device;

querying a database by the engine to determine whether one or more flags have been set for the device identifier;

responsive to a determination that the one or more flags have been set for the device identifier, communicating information that relates to the one or more flags to the bus driver; and

applying the information by the bus driver.

17. A method as described in claim 16, wherein the bus driver is configured for USB or PCI.

18. A method as described in claim 16, wherein the information is used for code path selection of the bus driver.

19. A method as described in claim 16, wherein the information is to configure the bus driver for device specific capabilities of the device.

20. A method as described in claim 16, wherein the driver is configured to handle capabilities of the device in accordance with a standard and the information is to configure the bus driver for capabilities of the device that do not involve the standard.