System and method employing script-based device drivers

• US 6,938,261 B2
• Filed: 05/11/2001
• Issued: 08/30/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Sadovsky, Vladimir, Partin, Lyman Cooper, Camara, Franc J., Changuion, Byron
• Primary Examiner(s): LAO, SUE X
• Application Number:
  US09/853,195
• Publication Number:
  US 20020059474A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,572 Days
• Field of Search: 719321-327, 719/328, 719/331, 718/102, 717/115, 717/124
• US Class Current: 719/321
• 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

A computer system and method uses script-based device drivers for operating hardware devices. The script-based driver architecture comprises a scripting driver, a script engine, and a driver script for a given hardware device, such as a scanner. The driver script is generally a text file containing a sequence of programming instructions defining the operational behavior of the hardware device. The scripting driver exports a set of objects whose functions can be called by the driver script to communicate with and control the device. When a request to operate the hardware device is received by the scripting driver, the script engine interprets the programming instructions in the driver script corresponding to the request and invokes the functions of the scripting driver objects called by the programming instructions to carry out the requested device operation.

Claims

1. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable components for controlling a hardware device of a computer system, comprising:

a scripting driver for interacting with, through a device driver interface, an application running on the computer system; and

a script engine for executing a driver script for the hardware device, the driver script containing a plurality of programming instructions defining behavior of the hardware device, theprogramming instructions calling functions of system-provided objects for communicating with and controlling the hardware device,

the scripting driver programmed for receiving, through the device driver interface, a request from the application for a requested operation by the hardware device, and invoking the script engine to execute the driver script, the script engine interpreting the programming instructions in the driver script and invoking functions of the system-provided objects called by the programming instructions to carry out the requested operation.

2. A computer-readable medium as in claim 1, where in the hardware device is an image-capturing device.

3. A computer-readable medium as in claim 2, wherein the hardware device is a scanner.

4. A computer-readable medium as in claim 1, wherein the scripting driver is further programmed to export the system-provided objects.

5. A computer-readable medium as in claim 4, wherein the functions of the objects are callable to perform actions including setting parameters for a data acquisition operation by the hardware device, and initiating the data acquisition operation.

6. A computer-readable medium as in claim 1, wherein the computer-executable components further includes a regular device driver for a second hardware device, the regular device driver programmed to interact with the application through the device driver interface for receiving requests for operations by the second hardware device and to control the second hardware device to perform the requested operations.

7. A method of controlling a hardware device connected to a computer system to perform operations in response to requests by an application running on the computer system, comprising:

providing a driver script for the hardware device, the driver script containing a plurality of programming instructions defining operational behavior of the hardware device, the programming instructions calling functions of system-provided objects for communicating with and controlling the hardware device;

receiving, by a scripting driver, through a device driver interface, a request from the application for a requested operation by the hardware device;

invoking, by the scripting driver, a script engine to execute the driver script to perform the requested operation;

interpreting, by the script engine, programming instructions in the driver script pertaining to the requested operation; and

invoking, by the script engine, functions of the system-provided objects called by the programming instructions in the driver script pertaining to the requested operation to perform the requested operation.

8. A method as in claim 7, wherein the hardware device is an image-capturing device.

9. A method as in claim 8, wherein the hardware device is a scanner.

10. A method as in claim 7, further including the step of exporting, by the scripting driver, the system-provided objects called by the programming instructions in the driver script.

11. A computer system comprising:

a hardware device; and

an operating system having a scripting driver, a scripting engine, and a driver script for the hardware device, the driver script containing a plurality of programming instructions defining operational behavior of the hardware device, the programming instructions calling functions of system-provided objects for communicating with and controlling the hardware device,

the scripting driver programmed for receiving a request for a requested operation by the hardware device, and invoking the script engine to execute the driver script, the script engine programmed for interpreting the programming instructions in the driver script and invoking functions of the system-provided objects called by the programming instructions to carry out the requested operation.

12. A computer system as in claim 11, wherein the hardware device is an image-capturing device.

13. A computer system as in claim 12, wherein the hardware device is a scanner, and the requested operation is a scan operation.

14. A computer system as in claim 11, wherein the scripting driver is further programmed to export the system-provided objects called by the programming instructions in the driver script.