Controlled device storing multiple drivers that judges and downloads a particular driver corresponding to a controller's operating system having an identical or greater version number

• US 6,138,178 A
• Filed: 01/27/1998
• Issued: 10/24/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co Limited (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Watanabe, Mikio
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Thomas C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PEYTON, TAMMARA R
• Application Number:
  US09/014,383
• Time in Patent Office: 1,001 Days
• Field of Search: 710/103, 710/8, 710/10, 710/62, 710/63, 710/72, 710/60, 713/1, 709/300, 709/301, 395/112
• US Class Current: 710/8
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4415 Self describing peripheral devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40123 Interconnection of computers and peripherals printer information exchange with computer G06F3/1293

Abstract

To execute processing for installing driver software reliably and in comparatively simple fashion, a device including an EEPROM and a device controller are connected using a cable in accordance with IEEE 1394. Driver software of a plurality of types is stored in the EEPROM. Whether driver software suitable for controlling the device has been stored in the device is judged by the device controller. If suitable driver software has been stored, then this driver software is transmitted from the device to the device controller. The drier software proceeds to control the device bed upon driver software that has been transmitted. A battery is charged utilizing electric power provided by a power supply line included in a cable that is in accordance with IEEE 1394. A charging apparatus and a personal computer are connected together by the cable. A power source unit in the personal computer converts AC voltage to direct voltage and supplies the DC voltage to the power supply line. The voltage is applied to a charging circuit via the power supply line, thereby charging the battery. A signal line included in the cable is used when the charging apparatus and personal computer send and receive data to and from each other.

Claims

1. A data communication method in a data communication system in which a controller and a controlled device controlled by the controller perform data communication via a communication channel, comprising the steps of:

storing driver software of a plurality of types in a first storage area of the controlled device;

judging whether driver software corresponding to an operating system having the same name as that of the operating system of the controller and the same or later version number as the version number of the operating system of the controller, is stored in the first storage area of the controlled device;

reading, in response to judging that driver software corresponding to the operating system is stored in the first storage area, the driver software from the first storage area;

transmitting data, which represents the driver software that has been read out, from the controlled device to the controller; and

storing the transmitted data representing driver software in a second storage area of the controller.

2. A method of controlling storage of driver software in a controller in which the controller and a controlled device controlled by the controller perform data communication via a communication channel, comprising the steps of:

judging whether driver software corresponding to an operating system having the same name as that of the operating system of the controller and the same or later version number as the version number of the operating system of the controller, is stored in a first storage area of the controlled device;

reading, in response to judging that the driver software corresponding to the operating system is stored in the first storage area, the driver software from the first storage area;

transmitting data, which represents the driver software that has been read out, from the controlled device to the controller; and

storing the transmitted data representing driver software in a second storage area of the controller.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising the steps of:

judging whether driver software corresponding to an operating system having the same name as that of the operating system of the controller and the same or later version number as the version number of the operating system of the controller, has not been stored in the controller; and

judging, in response to judging that the driver software corresponding to the operating system has not been stored in the controller, whether driver software corresponding to the operating system is stored in the first storage area of the controlled device.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein in response to judging that driver software corresponding to the operating system has not been stored in the first storage area of the controlled device, information relating to this judgement is communicated.

5. The method according to claim 2, wherein the communication channel is a cable in accordance with IEEE 1394, and the data representing the driver software is transmitted in accordance with IEEE 1394.

6. The method according to claim 2, wherein the controlled device is a digital video camera or a printer.

7. A method of reading out driver software in a controlled device of a data communication system with a controller, in which a controller and the controlled device controlled by the controller perform data communication via a communication channel, the controlled device being provided with a memory, said method comprising the steps of:

storing driver software of a plurality of types in a storage area of the memory so as to be capable of being read out under the control of the controller; and

reading out driver software corresponding to an operating system having the same name as that of the operating system of the controller and the same version number as or later than the version number of the operating system of the controller, based upon control performed by said controller.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the driver software is stored in the storage area of the memory so as to be rewritable.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein an address of driver software that has been stored in the storage area of the memory and information relating to the controller capable of performing control using this driver software are stored so as to be capable of being read out.

10. The method according to claim 7, wherein the controlled device is a digital video camera or a printer.

11. A data communication system in which a controller and a controlled device controlled by the controller perform data communication via a communication channel, wherein the controlled device is provided with a first memory capable of storing driver software of a plurality of types, the controller comprising:

a second memory for storing driver software;

a judgement device for judging whether driver software corresponding to an operating system having the same name as that of the operating system of the controller and the same or later version number as the version number of the operating system of the controller, is stored in a first storage area of said first memory provided in said controlled device;

a readout device for reading, in response to said judgement device judging that driver software corresponding to the operating system is stored in the first storage area, the driver software from the first storage area;

a transmission control device for transmitting data, which represents the driver software that has been read out by said readout control device, from the controlled device to the controller; and

a storage control device for receiving the data representing the driver software transmitted by said transmission control device, and storing this data in a second storage area of said second memory.

12. A controller of a controlled device, the controller and the controlled device controlled by the controller performing data communication via a communication channel, the controller comprising:

a memory for storing driver software;

a first judgement device for judging whether driver software corresponding to an operating system having the same name as that of the operating system of the controller and the same or later version number as the version number of the operating system of the controller, is stored in a prescribed first storage area of the controlled device;

a readout control device, responsive to said first judgement device judging that driver software corresponding to the operating system is stored in the first storage area, for reading the driver software out of the first storage area; and

a storage control device for storing, in a second storage area of said memory, data representing the driver software transmitted from the controlled device based upon transmission control by said transmission control device.

13. The controller according to claim 12, further comprising second judgement device for judging whether driver software corresponding to an operating system having the same name as that of the operating system of the controller and the same or later version number as the version number of the operating system of the controller, has not been stored in the second storage area of said memory;

said first judgement device responding to judging by said second judgement device that the driver software corresponding to the operating system has not been stored in the second storage area by judging whether driver software corresponding to the operating system has been stored in the first storage area of the controlled device.

14. The controller according to claim 12, further comprising a notification device, responsive to judging that driver software corresponding to the operating system has not been stored in the first storage area of the controlled device, for communicating information relating to this judgement.

15. The controller according to claim 12, wherein the communication channel is a cable in accordance with IEEE 1394, and the data representing the driver software is transmitted in accordance with IEEE 1394.

16. The controller according to claim 13, wherein the controlled device is a digital video camera or a printer.

17. A controlled device, of a data communication system with a controller, in which a controller and the controlled device controlled by the controller perform data communication via a communication channel, comprising:

a memory in which driver software of a plurality of types is stored in a storage area, wherein driver software corresponding to an operating system having the same name as that of the operating system of the controller and the same version number as or later than the version number of the operating system of the controller, is capable of being read out based upon control by said controller.

18. The device according to claim 17, wherein the driver software is stored in the storage area of said first memory so as to be rewritable.

19. The device according to claim 17, wherein an address of driver software that has been stored in the storage area of said memory and information relating to the controller capable of performing control using this driver software are stored so as to be capable of being read out.

20. A digital video camera, of a data communication system with a camera controller, in which a camera controller and the digital video camera controlled by the camera controller perform data communication via a communication channel, said digital video camera comprising:

a memory in which driver software of a plurality of types is stored in a storage area, wherein driver software corresponding to an operating system having the same name as that of the operating system of the controller and the same version number as or later than the version number of the operating system of the controller, is capable of being read out based upon control by said camera controller.

21. A printer, of constituting a data communication system with a printer controller, in which a printer controller and the printer controlled by the printer controller perform data communication via a communication channel, said printer comprising:

a memory in which driver software of a plurality of types is stored in a storage area, wherein driver software corresponding to an operating system having the same name as that of the operating system of the controller and the same version number as or later than the version number of the operating system of the controller, is capable of being read out based upon control by said printer controller.

22. A data communication system in which a controller and a controlled device controlled by the controller perform data communication via a communication channel, wherein the controlled device is provided with a first memory capable of storing driver software of a plurality of types, and the controller comprises:

a second memory for storing driver software;

judgement means for judging whether driver software corresponding to an operating system having the same name as that of the operating system of the controller and the same or later version number as the version number of the operating system of the controller, is stored in a first storage area of said first memory provided in said controlled device;

readout control means for reading, in response to said judgement means judging that driver software corresponding to the operating system is stored in the first storage area, the driver software from the first storage area;

transmission control means for transmitting data, which represents the driver software that has been read out by said readout control means, from the controlled device to the controller; and

storage control means for receiving the data representing the driver software transmitted by said transmission control means, and storing this data in a second storage area of said second memory.

23. A controller of a controlled device, the controller and the controlled device controlled by the controller perform data communication via a communication channel, the controller comprising:

a memory for storing driver software;

first judgement means for judging whether driver software corresponding to an operating system having the same name as that of the operating system of the controller and the same or later version number as the version number of the operating system of the controller, is stored in a first storage area of the controlled device;

readout control means, responsive to said first judgement means judging that driver software corresponding to the operating system is stored in the first storage area, for reading the driver software out of the first storage area; and

storage control means for storing, in a second storage area of said memory, data representing the driver software transmitted from the controlled device based upon transmission control by said transmission control means.

24. A controlled device, of a data communication system with a controller in which a controller and the controlled device controlled by the controller perform data communication via a communication channel, said device comprising:

a memory in which driver software of a plurality of types is stored in a storage area, wherein driver software corresponding to an operating system having the same name as that of the operating system of the controller and the same version number as or later than the version number of the operating system of the controller, is capable of being read out based upon control by said controller.