Transferable component that effectuates plug-and-play

• US 7,433,982 B2
• Filed: 10/21/2005
• Issued: 10/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Koch, Zeke, Peev, Igor B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shin; Christopher B
• Application Number:
  US11/256,255
• Publication Number:
  US 20070094322A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,082 Days
• Field of Search: 709227-230, 709/237, 709217-219, 710 8- 14, 710 60- 64, 710 72- 74, 719/321
• US Class Current: 710/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416

Abstract

A plug-and-play system comprises an agent component that includes instructions for enabling a first device and a mobile device to be compatible upon detecting a connection between the first device and the second device. A transfer component pushes the agent component from the mobile device to the first device, the agent component executes upon reaching the first device. For example, the mobile device can be a mobile phone, a PDA, a personal organizer, and the like, and the first device can be a personal computer, a laptop computer, or a mobile device.

Claims

1. A plug-and-play system comprising the following computer-executable components:

an agent component that includes instructions for enabling a first device and a mobile device to be compatible upon establishing a wireless connection between the first device and the mobile device; and

a transfer component that establishes the wireless connection between the first device and the mobile device and pushes the agent component from the mobile device to the first device, the agent component executes upon reaching the first device, wherein the agent component upon detecting that the first device does not have an internet connection configures the mobile device to perform as a modem for the first device to access the internet.

2. The system of claim 1, the agent component comprises at least one of a device driver, a communication protocol, a security component, a Mobile Operator software, an original equipment manufacturer program, and an original equipment manufacturer program update.

3. The system of claim 1, the agent component comprises a detection component that detects at least one of an operating system associated with the first device, identity of the mobile device, software resident upon the first device, and software necessary to enable compatibility between the first device and the mobile device.

4. The system of claim 3, the agent component upon determining that the first device does not have an internet connection stores commands on the first device that are executed when the first device obtains an internet connection in order to enable the mobile device to be compatible with the first device.

5. The system of claim 1, the agent component comprises a download component that employs at least one of a first device Internet connection and a mobile device Internet connection to download applicable compatibility software.

6. The system of claim 5, the download component employs one of an Internet connection and a storage media to obtain necessary supplemental media.

7. The system of claim 6, the necessary supplemental media is software related to at least one of original equipment manufacturer software, media samples, ads, and browser favorites.

8. The system of claim 1, the agent component executes on the first device to configure compatibility between the first device and the mobile device.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising a query component that requests input relating to the agent component.

10. The system of claim 9, the query component provides a query to a user regarding whether a connection between the mobile device and the first device is desired.

11. The system of claim 9, the query component provides a query to a user regarding whether the agent component is desirably pushed to the first device.

12. The system of claim 11, the query component instructs the transfer component to push the agent component to the first device upon input that the agent component is desirably pushed to the first device.

13. The system of claim 1, further comprising a storage component located on the mobile device, the storage component stores at least one of the agent component, the transfer component, and the query component.

14. The system of claim 13, the storage component is a Read-Only Memory.

15. A method for enabling plug-and play functionality between a mobile device and a first device comprising the following computer-executable acts:

wirelessly coupling the mobile device and the first device;

transferring an agent program from the mobile device to the first device upon detection of the mobile device and the first device being coupled; and

utilizing the agent program to enable the mobile device to be compatible with the first device, wherein the agent program upon determining that the first device does not have an internet connection stores commands on the first device that are executed when the first device obtains an internet connection in order to enable the mobile device to be compatible with the first device.

16. The method of claim 15, coupling the mobile device and the first device comprises at least one of wirelessly coupling the mobile device and the first device and coupling the mobile device and the first device by way of wireline.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising updating the agent program upon the mobile device.

18. The method of claim 17, updating the agent program comprising obtaining software related to at least one of original equipment manufacturer software, media samples, ads, and browser favorites.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising prompting a user to at least one of initiate communication between the mobile device and the first device, and initiate transfer of the agent program from the mobile device to the first device.

20. A system that facilitates plug-and-play functionality between a mobile device and a first device, comprising:

means for configuring synchronization between the first device and the mobile device, the means for configuring synchronization is stored on the mobile device;

means for wirelessly transferring the means for configuring synchronization from the mobile device to the first device, wherein the means for configuring synchronization determines any additional software that is required on the first device to configure synchronization and downloads the additional software to the first device.