SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DRIVERLESS OPERATION OF USB DEVICE

• US 20120331202A1
• Filed: 06/27/2011
• Published: 12/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schneider Electric IT Corporation (Schneider Electric SE)
• Original Assignee: Schneider Electric IT Corporation (Schneider Electric SE)
• Inventors: Cohen, Daniel C., Spitaels, James S., Pendleton, Noah L., Janson, Maarten
• Granted Patent: US 8,473,666 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/313
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/102 where the programme performs an interfacing function, e.g. device driver G06F13/105 takes precedence; scheduling within device drivers G06F9/52; contention policies within device drivers G06F9/4881

Abstract

Systems and methods of re-enumerating peripheral devices operatively connected to a computer system are provided. In one example, a system is configured to disable an existing connection between an operating system and a peripheral device established through a device driver by re-describing the peripheral device to the OS. In another example, the system can be further configured to execute operation(s) on the peripheral device without new driver installation using communication channels native to the OS. Once the operation(s) are complete, the system can be configured to restore the existing connection.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

at least one processor operatively connected to a memory, wherein the processor is configured to execute system components from the memory;

a control component configured to;

disable an existing connection between an operating system and at least one peripheral device, wherein the existing connection is established through a first device driver;

establish communication with the at least one peripheral device using defined communication channels while the existing connection is disabled;

execute at least one operation on the at least one peripheral device over the defined communication channels; and

trigger enumeration of the at least one peripheral device to restore the existing connection between operating system and the at least one peripheral device.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the control component is further configured to redefine the peripheral device'"'"'s identifying information over the existing connection.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein the control component is further configured to restore the peripheral device'"'"'s identifying information to an original

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one peripheral device is operatively connected to the computer system through a USB interface.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein the control component is further configured to determine that the at least one peripheral device supports re-enumeration.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the system is configured to establish communication with the at least one peripheral device using defined communication channels while the existing connection is disabled using a native OS driver.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the defined communication channels include control and interrupt endpoints for the at least one peripheral device.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one operation includes at least one of updating firmware of the peripheral device, enabling additional functionality on the peripheral device, disabling functionality on the peripheral device, adding features to the peripheral device, and modifying at least one operating parameter of the peripheral device.

9. A computer implemented method for re-enumerating a peripheral device, the method comprising:

disabling, by a computer system, an existing connection between an operating system executing on the computer system and at least one peripheral device operatively connected to the computer system, wherein the existing connection is established through a first device driver;

establishing, by the computer system, communication with the at least one peripheral device using defined communication channels while the existing connection is disabled;

executing, by the computer system, at least one operation on the at least one peripheral device over the defined communication channels; and

triggering, by the computer system, enumeration of the peripheral device to restore the existing connection between the operation system and the peripheral device established through the first device driver.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the act of disabling the existing connection includes an act of redefining the peripheral device'"'"'s identifying information over the existing connection.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the method further comprises an act of restoring the peripheral device'"'"'s identifying information to an original state.

12. The method according to claim 9, wherein the at least one peripheral device is operatively connected to the computer system through a USB interface.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the method further comprises determining that the at least one peripheral device supports re-enumeration.

14. The method according to claim 9, wherein the act of establishing communication includes occurs using a native OS driver.

15. The method according to claim 9, wherein the defined communication channels include control and interrupt endpoints for the at least one peripheral device.

16. The method according to claim 9, wherein the at least one operation includes at least one of updating firmware of the peripheral device, enabling additional functionality on the peripheral device, disabling functionality on the peripheral device, adding features to the peripheral device, and modifying at least one operating parameter of the peripheral device.

17. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon sequences of instruction for re-enumerating a peripheral device, the sequences of instruction including instructions that will cause at least one processor to:

disable an existing connection between an operating system executing on the computer system and at least one peripheral device operatively connected to the computer system, wherein the existing connection is established through a first device driver;

establish communication with the at least one peripheral device using defined communication channels while the existing connection is disabled;

execute at least one operation on the at least one peripheral device over the defined communication channels; and

trigger enumeration of the peripheral device to restore the existing connection between the operation system and the peripheral device established through the first device driver.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 17, wherein the sequences of instruction include further instructions that will cause the at least one processor to redefine the peripheral device'"'"'s identifying information over the existing connection.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 17, wherein the sequences of instruction include instructions that will cause the at least one processor to restore the peripheral device'"'"'s identifying information to an original state.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 17, wherein the sequences of instruction include further instructions that will cause the at least one processor to establish communication with the at least one peripheral device using defined communication channels while the existing connection is disabled using a native OS driver.