Pre-configured settings for portable devices

• US 7,467,162 B2
• Filed: 06/27/2005
• Issued: 12/16/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Sadovsky, Vladimir, Rosenbloom, Oren
• Primary Examiner(s): Fleurantin; Jean B
• Application Number:
  US11/166,715
• Publication Number:
  US 20060294209A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,268 Days
• Field of Search: 707 1- 10, 707100-1041, 707200-206, 709/217, 709/219, 709/220, 714/3
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/437 Administration of user profiles, e.g. generation, initialisation, adaptation, distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00204 with a digital computer or a digital computer system, e.g. an internet server programmed control between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device H04N1/32561
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0097 Storage of instructions or parameters, e.g. customised instructions or different parameters for different user IDs
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00973 from a remote device, e.g. receiving via the internet instructions input to a computer terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0084 Digital still camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/60 Control of cameras or camera modules
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/617 Upgrading or updating of programs or applications for camera control
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99948 Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image

Abstract

A system, method, and computer-readable media are disclosed for retrieving configuration files from host units to devices. The system, method, and computer-readable media can, through a media device, detect when a surrounding condition has changed so that the media device can benefit from at least one configuration file. If the media device determines that a change to a surrounding condition has occurred, the media device can then retrieve a configuration file from a designated host unit.

Claims

1. A system including one or more computer memory that embodies components for retrieving configuration files from one or more host units to at least one device, the components comprising:

an interface for transmitting at least one of current properties and capabilities of a device to a host unit, the interface also adapted to automatically retrieve at least one configuration file from the host unit to the device, wherein the at least one configuration file retrieved is based on the at least one of current properties and capabilities of the device;

a detection unit for detecting when to automatically retrieve the at least one configuration file from the host unit, wherein the at least one configuration file is retrieved from the host unit when the detection unit detects that at least one surrounding condition has changed that requires the device to retrieve the at least one configuration file;

wherein the detection unit detects that there is a change in the at least one surrounding condition by measuring the at least one surrounding condition and comparing to at least one previously-stored default configuration file;

wherein the detection unit detects a change has occurred that requires retrieving the at least one configuration file when the at least one previously-stored default configuration file is not adapted to handle the measured surrounding condition; and

a storage unit for storing the at least one configuration file on the device.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one configuration file includes at least one group of pre-configured device property settings and a group of pre-configured user-specific property settings.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one configuration file is managed by the host unit, wherein managing includes one or more of securing, backing up, and restoring the at least one configuration file.

4. The system according to claim 1, further comprising, before retrieving the at least one configuration file, at least one of the device and the host unit deciding between whether to apply the at least one configuration file immediately upon retrieval and whether to apply the at least one configuration file for use sometime in the future.

5. A method for retrieving configuration files from one or more host units to at least one device comprising:

detecting when at least one surrounding condition of a device has changed by measuring the at least one surrounding condition and comparing to at least one previously-stored default configuration file;

detecting that the at least one previously-stored default configuration file is not adapted to handle the at least one measured surrounding condition;

automatically retrieving at least one configuration file from a host unit upon detecting that the at least one previously-stored default configuration file is not adapted to handle the at least one measured surrounding condition wherein the at least one configuration file retrieved is based on the changed surrounding condition and at least one of current properties and capabilities of the device, and wherein the at least one configuration file is retrieved through an interface between the host unit and the device; and

storing the at least one configuration file retrieved from the host unit on the device.

6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising setting the at least one configuration file retrieved from the host unit as the new default configuration file.

7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising retrieving another configuration file when the detection unit detects that the new default configuration file is not adapted to handle subsequently measured surrounding conditions.

8. The method according to claim 5, further comprising manually retrieving the at least one configuration file from the host unit.

9. The method according to claim 5, further comprising, before retrieving the at least one configuration file, deciding between whether to apply the at least one configuration file immediately upon retrieval and whether to apply the at least one configuration file for use sometime in the future.

10. One or more computer memory with computer-executable instructions embodied thereon that when executed by a computing device perform a method for retrieving configuration files from one or more host units to at least one device comprising:

detecting when at least one surrounding condition of a device has changed;

detecting that the at least one previously-stored default configuration file is not adapted to handle the at least one measured surrounding condition;

automatically retrieving at least one configuration file from a host unit upon detecting that the at least one previously-stored default configuration file is not adapted to handle the at least one measured surrounding condition wherein the at least one configuration file retrieved is based on the changed surrounding condition and at least one of current properties and capabilities of the device, and

wherein the at least one configuration file is retrieved through an interface between the host unit and the device;

wherein the at least one configuration file includes at least one group of pre-configured device property settings and a group of pre-configured user-specific property settings; and

storing the at least one configuration file retrieved from the host unit on the device.

11. The computer memory according to claim 10, further comprising detecting that there is a change in the at least one surrounding condition by measuring the at least one surrounding condition and comparing to at least one previously-stored default configuration file.

12. The computer memory according to claim 10, further comprising pre-selecting the host unit from which the at least one configuration file is retrieved before detecting the at least one surrounding condition has changed.

13. The computer memory according to claim 10, further comprising transmitting information regarding the device'"'"'s properties and capabilities to the host unit, the host unit synchronizing necessary settings between the at least one configuration file and a current state of the device.