Method and apparatus for use in installing a scanner

• US 6,618,771 B1
• Filed: 02/16/2000
• Issued: 09/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Anderson, Laurie, Leja, Tina Marie, Mathis, John D, Watson, Michelle A, Geegan, Erin E, Fontaine, Robert M
• Primary Examiner(s): Gaffin, Jeffrey
• Assistant Examiner(s): Farooq, Mohammad O.
• Application Number:
  US09/504,822
• Time in Patent Office: 1,301 Days
• Field of Search: 710/8, 710/10, 710/12, 710/18, 710/19, 710/20, 709/200
• US Class Current: 710/8
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4411 Configuring for operating with peripheral devices; Loading of device drivers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/453 Help systems

Abstract

A method and apparatus are provided for interactively guiding a user through a scanner installation procedure. When a scanner installation program is launched, the scanner installation program causes various screens having various options to be displayed to a user. The screens provide the user with information that guides the user step-by-step through the scanner installation procedure. The scanner installation program automatically detects which I/O ports of the user'"'"'s computer are available for connection to the scanner and displays a message to the user indicating which I/O port(s) is available for connection to the scanner. The scanner installation program then provides the user with the option of seeing a visual demonstration of steps that need to be taken by the user in connecting the scanner to the available I/O port of the computer. The user is also provided with the option of printing out, written instructions that list the steps that need to be taken in connecting the scanner to the available I/O port. The scanner installation program also provides the user with options as to which scanning software packages are to be installed on the user'"'"'s computer. When the user selects scanning software packages to be installed on the computer, the amount of memory and time required for installation of each scanning software package is displayed to the user.

Claims

1. A system for installing a scanner to a computer, said system comprising:

first logic, the first logic being configured to automatically detect whether or not a particular input/output (I/O) port of the computer is available for connection to the scanner;

second logic, the second logic being configured to cause a message to be displayed on a display device of the computer, the message indicating whether or not a particular I/O port of the computer is available for connection to the scanner; and

third logic, the third logic being configured to generate a visual demonstration and to cause the visual demonstration to be displayed on the display device, the visual demonstration demonstrating steps that should be taken by a user in connecting the scanner to a particular I/O port of the computer.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the visual demonstration is a video clip.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the visual demonstration is a series of still photographs.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

fourth logic, the fourth logic being configured to generate textual instructions and to cause the textual instructions to be printed on a printer in communication with the apparatus, the textual instructions instructing a user as to the manner in which the scanner can be connected to a particular I/O port of the computer.

5. The system of claim 4, further comprising fifth logic, the fifth logic being configured to detect whether or not the scanner is connected to an I/O port of the computer, wherein the fifth logic detects whether or not the scanner is connected to an I/O port of the computer by opening up a device driver associated with the I/O port, enumerating all devices interfaced with an I/O bus of the computer, and comparing an identification (ID) indication associated with the scanner with ID indications associated with the devices that are interfaced with the I/O bus.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein if a determination is made by the fifth logic that the scanner is connected to an I/O port of the computer, the fifth logic sets a registry flag in the system registry associated with the computer, wherein setting the registry flag indicates that the scanner is connected to an I/O port of the computer.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a first scanner operative to acquire image data.

8. The system of claim 7, further comprising:

a first computer to which the first scanner is to be installed.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the first logic, second logic and third logic are stored on a computer-readable medium.

10. A system for installing a scanner to a computer, said system comprising:

first logic, the first logic being configured to automatically detect whether or not a particular input/output (I/O) port of the computer is available for connection to the scanner;

second logic, the second logic being configured to cause a message to be displayed on a display device of the computer, the message indicating whether or not a particular I/O port of the computer is available for connection to the scanner;

third logic, the third logic being configured to cause a software installation screen to be displayed on the display device, the software installation screen displaying options as to which scanning software packages may be installed on the computer; and

fourth logic, the fourth logic being configured to detect when a particular scanning software package has been selected by a user and to cause a message to be displayed on the display device that indicates the amount of memory that is required for installation of the selected scanning software package.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the message displayed by the fourth logic indicates the amount of time that is required for the selected scanning software package to be installed on the computer.

12. A system for installing a scanner to a computer, said system comprising:

first logic, the first logic being configured to automatically detect whether or not a particular input/output (I/O) port of the computer is available for connection to the scanner; and

second logic, the second logic being configured to cause a message to be displayed on a display device of the computer, the message indicating whether or not a particular I/O port of the computer is available for connection to the scanner;

wherein the first logic determines whether or not a particular I/O port of the computer is available for connection to the scanner by attempting to open up a device driver handle associated with the particular I/O port, wherein if the first logic is successful in attempting to open up the device driver handle, a registry entry is written to a system registry of the computer that indicates that the particular I/O port is available for connection to the scanner.

13. A system for installing a scanner to a computer, said system comprising:

first logic, the first logic being configured to automatically detect whether or not a particular input/output (I/O) port of the computer is available for connection to the scanner;

second logic, the second logic being configured to cause a message to be displayed on a display device of the computer, the message indicating whether or not a particular I/O port of the computer is available for connection to the scanner; and

third logic, the third logic changing a language that a message is displayed in based on a language-specific initialization file values, the third logic displaying screen titles, button labels and procedure steps based on a language-specific media object file.

14. A method for installing a scanner, the method comprising:

automatically detecting whether or not a particular input/output (I/O) port of a computer is available for connection to the scanner;

causing a message to be displayed on a display device of the computer that indicates whether or not a particular I/O port is available for connection to the scanner; and

generating a visual demonstration and causing the visual demonstration to be displayed on the display device, the visual demonstration demonstrating steps that should be taken by a user in connecting the scanner to a particular I/O port of the computer.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the visual demonstration is a video clip.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the visual demonstration is a series of still photographs.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

generating textual instructions; and

causing the textual instructions to be printed on a printer, the textual instructions instructing a user as to the manner in which the scanner can be connected to a particular I/O port of the computer.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

causing a software installation screen to be displayed on the display device, the software installation screen displaying options as to which scanning software packages may be installed on the computer;

detecting when a particular scanning software package has been selected by a user; and

causing a message to be displayed on the display device that indicates the amount of memory that is required for installation of the selected scanning software package and the amount of time that is required for the selected scanning software package to be installed on the computer.

19. A method for installing a scanner, the method comprising:

automatically detecting whether or not a particular input/output (I/O) port of a computer is available for connection to the scanner; and

causing a message to be displayed on a display device of the computer that indicates whether or not a particular I/O port is available for connection to the scanner,

wherein the step of automatically detecting whether or not a particular I/O port of the computer is available for connection to the scanner is performed by attempting to open up a device driver handle associated with the particular I/O port, wherein if the attempt at opening up the device driver handle is successful, a registry entry is written to a system registry of the computer that indicates that the particular I/O port is available for connection to the scanner.

20. A method for installing a scanner, the method comprising:

automatically detecting whether or not a particular input/output (I/O) port of a computer is available for connection to the scanner; and

causing a message to be displayed on a display device that indicates whether or not a particular I/O port is available for connection to the scanner; and

automatically detecting whether or not the scanner is connected to an I/O port of the computer by opening up a device driver associated with the I/O port, enumerating all devices interfaced with an I/O bus of the computer, and comparing an identification (ID) indication associated with the scanner with ID indications associated with the devices that are interfaced with the I/O bus, wherein if a determination is made that the scanner is connected to an I/O port of the computer, a registry flag is set in the system registry associated with the computer, wherein setting the registry flag indicates that the scanner is connected to an I/O port of the computer.

21. A system for installing a scanner to a computer, said system comprising:

logic operative to;

automatically detect whether or not a particular input/output (I/O) port of the computer is available for connection to the scanner;

cause a message to be displayed on a display device of the computer, the message indicating whether or not a particular I/O port of the computer is available for connection to the scanner; and

generate a visual demonstration and to cause the visual demonstration to be displayed on the display device, the visual demonstration demonstrating steps that should be taken by a user in connecting the scanner to a particular I/O port of the computer.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the logic is further operative to:

generate textual instructions and to cause the textual instructions to be printed on a printer in communication with the apparatus, the textual instructions instructing a user as to the manner in which the scanner can be connected to a particular I/O port of the computer.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein the logic is further operative to:

detect whether or not the scanner is connected to an I/O port of the computer by opening up a device driver associated with the I/O port,

enumerate all devices interfaced with an I/O bus of the computer; and

compare an identification (ID) indication associated with the scanner with ID indications associated with the devices that are interfaced with the I/O bus.

24. A system for installing a scanner to a computer, said system comprising:

means for automatically detecting whether or not a particular input/output (I/O) port of a computer is available for connection to the scanner;

means for causing a message to be displayed on a display device of the computer that indicates whether or not a particular I/O port is available for connection to the scanner; and

means for generating a visual demonstration and causing the visual demonstration to be displayed on the display device, the visual demonstration demonstrating steps that should be taken by a user in connecting the scanner to a particular I/O port of the computer.

25. The system of claim 24, further comprising:

means for generating textual instructions; and

means for causing the textual instructions to be printed on a printer, the textual instructions instructing a user as to the manner in which the scanner can be connected to a particular I/O port of the computer.