Automated over the air plug-in device recognition and software driver download

• US 7,164,907 B2
• Filed: 01/13/2004
• Issued: 01/16/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Dickson, Scott, Cochran, Stephen
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramakrishnaiah; Melur
• Application Number:
  US10/756,964
• Publication Number:
  US 20050154787A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,099 Days
• Field of Search: 455/419, 455/418, 455/41.1, 455/41.2, 455/41.3, 455/556.2, 455/557, 455/517, 709/219, 717/178
• US Class Current: 455/419
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4411 Configuring for operating with peripheral devices; Loading of device drivers

Abstract

A system and method for automatically detecting a peripheral device in communication with a wireless device, such as a wireless telephone, and requesting a driver for the peripheral from a remote server via a wireless communications network. After the driver is received and installed, the wireless device checks automatically for availability of a new version of the driver from the remote server. If there is a new version, the new driver will be downloaded to the wireless handheld device.

Claims

1. A method for automatically detecting and operating a peripheral device within a wireless computer device selectively communicating across a wireless communications network with a remote server, comprising the steps of:

determining if a peripheral device is in communication with the wireless computer device; and

if the peripheral device is communicating with the wireless computer device,

retrieving peripheral device information from the peripheral device,

sending the peripheral device information to the remote server via the wireless communications network,

receiving a driver for the peripheral device from the remote sewer via the wireless communications network; and

receiving, based on the sent peripheral device information, at least one of an application menu and an application from the remote server via the wireless communications network, wherein the application menu comprises an indication of an available application corresponding to the peripheral device information, and wherein the application corresponds to the peripheral device information.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

requesting the application menu from the remote server via the wireless communications network;

receiving the application menu from the remote server; and

displaying the application menu to a user of the wireless computer device.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

requesting the application from the remote server;

receiving the application from the remote server; and

activating the application.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

requesting a password from a user of the wireless computer device prior to sending the peripheral device information to the remote sewer; and

verifying in the password as a precondition to initiating the sending of the peripheral device information to the remote server.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of retrieving peripheral device information from the peripheral device further comprises the step of receiving the information through wireless communication.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the wireless communication comprises communication through radio signals.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the wireless communication comprises communication through infra-red signals.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining if the peripheral device is activated on the wireless communication device, and requesting the application menu if the peripheral device is activated.

9. The method of claim 1, farther comprising receiving the driver together with the application menu based on the sent peripheral device information.

10. A method for automatically downloading a driver for a peripheral device through a wireless communications network to a wireless device having wireless communication ability, comprising the steps of:

receiving identification information from the wireless device through a wireless communications network, wherein the identification information corresponds to a peripheral device in communication with the wireless device;

retrieving a driver from a database based on the identification information received;

transmitting the driver to the wireless device via the wireless communications network; and

transmitting, based on the sent peripheral device information, at least one of an application menu and an application to the wireless device via the wireless communications network, wherein the application menu comprises an indication of an available application corresponding to the identification information, and wherein the application corresponds to the identification information.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising the steps of:

receiving an application menu request from the wireless device;

compiling the application menu based on the identification information and the application menu request; and

transmitting the application menu to the wireless device.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising the steps of:

receiving an application request from the wireless device;

retrieving the application from the database and the application request; and

transmitting the application to the wireless device.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising the steps of:

receiving a password from the wireless device prior to the transmitting of at least one of the application menu and the application to the wireless device; and

verifying the password as a precondition to initiating the transmitting of at least one of the application menu and the application to the wireless device.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising the steps of:

receiving a subscriber information from the wireless device prior to the transmitting of at least one of the application menu and the application to the wireless device; and

verifying the subscriber information against a subscriber database as a precondition to initiating the transmitting of at least one of the application menu and the application to the wireless device.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein transmitting of the application menu occurs based on a application menu request received from the wireless device, wherein the application menu request is based on an activated peripheral device.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising automatically transmitting the driver together with the application menu based on the sent identification information.

17. A method for automatically requesting a device driver for a peripheral device in communication with a wireless computer device, comprising the steps of:

retrieving driver information for the peripheral device;

sending the driver information to a remote server via a wireless communications network; and

downloading a driver for the peripheral device from the remote server via the wireless communications network; and

receiving, based on the sent driver information, at least one of an application menu and an application from the remote server via the wireless communications network, wherein the

application menu comprises an indication of an available application corresponding to the driver information, and wherein the application corresponds to the driver information.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of prompting a user for approval to download the driver.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising the steps of:

requesting a password from a user of the wireless computer device prior to the downloading of the driver; and

verifying the password as a precondition to the downloading of the driver.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of retrieving the driver information from the peripheral device further comprises the step of receiving the information through infra-red signals.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of retrieving the information from the peripheral device further comprises the step of receiving the information through radio signals.

22. The method of claim 17, further comprising determining if the peripheral device is activated on the wireless computer device, and requesting the application menu if the peripheral device is activated.

23. The method of claim 17, further comprising receiving the driver together with the application menu based on the sent driver information.

24. An apparatus, comprising:

an external communication interface;

a controller capable of detecting a peripheral device attempting communication through the external communication interface, the controller being capable of retrieving peripheral device information from the peripheral device;

a transceiver for transmitting the peripheral device information to a remote server via a wireless communications network, the transceiver being capable of receiving a driver for the peripheral device from the remote sewer, and the transceiver further capable of receiving at least one of an application menu and an application based on the transmitted peripheral device information, wherein the application menu comprises an indication of an available application corresponding to the peripheral device information, and wherein the application corresponds to the peripheral device information; and

a storage unit for storing the driver received from the remote server;

wherein the driver received from the remote server is used for the controller to communicate with the peripheral device.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, further comprising:

a user interface for receiving user inputs; and

a display unit for displaying information to a user of the apparatus.

26. The apparatus of claim 24, further comprising a plug in slot capable of receiving the peripheral device in communication with the external communication interface.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the peripheral device comprises a USB capable device.

28. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the peripheral device comprises a Compact Flash (CF) capable device.

29. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the peripheral device comprises a PC Card capable device.

30. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the peripheral device comprises a Secure Digital capable device.

31. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the controller further is capable of retrieving driver information corresponding to the peripheral device from the peripheral device and directing the transceiver to transmit the driver information to the remote server.

32. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the external communication interface further being capable of communicating with a peripheral device not physically attached to the apparatus.

33. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the external communication interface communicates with the peripheral device through infra-red signals.

34. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the external communication interface communicates with the peripheral device through radio signals.

35. The method of claim 24, wherein the controller is further capable of determining if the peripheral device is activated on the wireless computer device, and initiating an application menu request for the application menu if the peripheral device is activated.

36. The method of claim 24, wherein the transceiver is further capable of receiving the driver together with the application menu based on the sent device information.

37. A computer readable medium on which is stored a computer program for automatically detecting and operating a peripheral device in a wireless device having wireless communication capability, the computer program comprising instructions which, when executed by a computer, perform the steps of:

determining if a peripheral is in communication with the wireless device; and

if the peripheral device is in communication with the wireless device,

retrieving peripheral device information from the peripheral device,

sending the peripheral device information to the remote server via the wireless communications network,

receiving a driver for the peripheral device from the remote sewer via the wireless communications network; and

receiving, based on the sent peripheral device information, at least one of an application menu and an application from the remote server via the wireless communications network, wherein the application menu comprises an indication of an available application corresponding to the peripheral device information, and wherein the application corresponds to the peripheral device information.

38. The computer program of claim 37, further performing the steps of:

requesting the application menu from the remote server via the wireless communications network;

receiving the application menu from the remote server; and

displaying the application menu to a user.

39. The computer program of claim 37, further performing the steps of:

requesting the application from the remote server;

receiving the application from the remote server; and

activating the application.

40. The computer program of claim 37, further performing the steps of:

requesting a password from a user of the wireless computer device prior to sending the peripheral device information to the remote server; and

verifying the password as a precondition to initiating the sending of the peripheral device information to the remote server.

41. The computer program of claim 37, wherein the step of retrieving the information from the peripheral device further comprises the step of receiving the information through wireless communications.

42. The computer program of claim 37, wherein the step of retrieving the information from the peripheral device further comprises the step of receiving the information through wired communications.

43. A computer readable medium on which is stored a computer program for automatically detecting and operating a peripheral device at a wireless device having wireless communication capability, the computer program comprising instructions which, when executed by a computer, perform the steps of:

receiving identification information from the wireless device through a wireless communications network, wherein the identification information corresponds to a peripheral device in communication with the wireless device;

retrieving a driver from a database based on the identification information received;

transmitting the driver to the wireless device via the wireless communications network; and

transmitting, based on the sent identification information, at least one of an application menu and an application to the wireless device via the wireless communications network, wherein the application menu comprises an indication of an available application corresponding to the identification information, and wherein the application corresponds to the identification information.

44. The computer program of claim 43, further performing the steps of:

receiving an application menu request from the wireless device;

compiling the application menu based on the identification information and the application menu request; and

transmitting the application menu to the wireless device.

45. The computer program of claim 43, further performing the steps of:

receiving an application request from the wireless device;

retrieving the application from the database and the application request; and

transmitting the application to the wireless device.

46. The computer program of claim 43, further performing the steps of:

receiving a password from the wireless device prior to the transmitting of at least one of the application menu and the application to the wireless device; and

verifying the password as a precondition to initiating the transmitting of at least one of the application menu and the application to the wireless device.

47. The computer program of claim 43, further performing the steps of:

receiving subscriber information from the wireless device prior to the transmitting of at least one of the application menu and the application to the wireless device; and

verifying the subscriber information against a subscriber database as a precondition to initiating the transmitting of at least one of the application menu and the application to the wireless device.

48. An apparatus capable of communicating with a peripheral device, the apparatus being capable of automatically detecting the peripheral device and downloading a driver for the peripheral device through a wireless communications network, comprising:

an external interface means;

a controller means capable of detecting a peripheral device communicating with the external interface means, the controller means being capable of retrieving peripheral device information from the peripheral device;

a transceiver means for transmitting the peripheral device information to a remote server via the wireless communications network, the transceiver means being capable of receiving a driver for the peripheral device from the remote sewer, and the transceiver means further capable of receiving at least one of an application menu and an application based on the transmitted peripheral device information, wherein the application menu comprises an indication of an available application corresponding to the peripheral device information, and wherein the application corresponds to the peripheral device information; and

a storage means for storing the driver received from the remote server;

wherein the driver is used for the controller means to communicate with the peripheral device.

49. The apparatus of claim 48, farther comprising:

an user interface means for receiving user inputs; and

a display means for displaying information to a user of the apparatus.

50. The apparatus of claim 48, farther comprising a peripheral interface means capable of receiving the peripheral device in communication with the external interface means.

51. The apparatus of claim 48, wherein the peripheral device comprises a USB capable device.

52. The apparatus of claim 48, wherein the peripheral device comprises a Compact Flash (CF) capable device.

53. The apparatus of claim 48, wherein the peripheral device comprises a PC Card capable device.

54. The apparatus of claim 48, wherein the peripheral device comprises a Secure Digital capable device.

55. The apparatus of claim 48, wherein the controller means further being capable of retrieving driver information corresponding to the peripheral device from the peripheral device and directing the transceiver means to transmit the driver information to the remote server.

56. The apparatus of claim 48, wherein the external interface means further is capable of communicating with a peripheral device not physically attached to the peripheral interfacing means.

57. The apparatus of claim 56, wherein the external interface means communicates with the peripheral device through wireless communication.

58. The apparatus of claim 56, wherein the external interface means communicates with the peripheral device through wired communication.