Portable storage device, system and method for automatic software installation

• US 8,402,456 B2
• Filed: 08/01/2007
• Issued: 03/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kang, Chun-un, Chu, Chang-nam, Lee, Dae-hyun, Yu, Seung-hyuk
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Phillip H
• Application Number:
  US11/832,129
• Publication Number:
  US 20080155529A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,057 Days
• Field of Search: 717/174, 717/176, 717/177, 717/178
• US Class Current: 717/174
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4415 Self describing peripheral devices

Abstract

A portable storage device, a system, and a method for an automatic software installation, the portable storage device including: an interface to connect to an external device to transmit and/or to receive data to/from the external device; a memory to store a setup program to install, in the external device, a main software required to connect the portable storage device to the external device; and a controller to control the interface to transmit the setup program to the external device when the interface is connected to the external device, wherein the setup program is transmitted to the external device and automatically run in the external device. Accordingly, when the portable storage device is connected to the external device, the software can be automatically installed by auto-running the setup program internally stored to the portable storage device.

Claims

1. A portable storage device, the device comprising:

an interface to connect to an external device to transmit and/or to receive data to/from the external device;

a memory to store a setup program to install, in the external device, a main software required to enable a communication between the portable storage device and the external device; and

a controller to control the interface to transmit the setup program to the external device when the interface is connected to the external device, wherein the setup program is transmitted to the external device and automatically run in the external device, and to control the interface to transmit the main software to the external device.

2. The portable storage device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the main software is stored in the memory.

3. The portable storage device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the controller controls the interface to not transmit the main software to the external device when the main software is already installed in the external device.

4. The portable storage device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the controller deletes the main software from the memory after the software is installed in the external device.

5. The portable storage device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the setup program downloads the main software from a network to which the external device is connected and installs the downloaded main software in the external device.

6. The portable storage device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the setup program does not download the main software from the network when the memory of the portable storage device stores the main software.

7. The portable storage device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the setup program downloads a portion of the main software from a network to which the external device is connected and installs the downloaded portion of the main software when the portion of the main software is not stored in the memory.

8. The portable storage device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the external device is a computer.

9. The portable storage device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the memory comprises a Read Only Memory (ROM) to store the setup program.

10. An automatic software installation system, the system comprising:

an external device; and

a portable storage device comprising a memory to store a setup program to install, in the external device, a main software required to enable a communication between the portable storage device and the external device, and an interface and a controller to transmit the setup program to the external device when the portable storage device is connected to the external device, wherein the setup program is transmitted to the external device and automatically run in the external device, and to control the interface to transmit the main software to the external device.

11. The automatic software installation system as claimed in claim 10, further comprising:

a server that is connected to the external device over a network and transmits the main software to the external device when the setup program is run in the external device if the main software is stored on the server.

12. An automatic software installation method, the method comprising:

determining whether a portable storage device is connected to an external device;

controlling an interface between the portable storage device and the external device;

transmitting, by the portable storage device to the external device, a setup program to install a main software required to enable a communication between the portable storage device and the external device when it is determined that the portable storage device is connected to the external device;

transmitting the main software from the portable storage device to the external device to be installed in the external device; and

automatically running the transmitted setup program in the external device.

13. The automatic software installation method as claimed in claim 12, further comprising:

determining whether the main software is stored in the portable storage device when the main software is not already installed in the external device.

14. The automatic software installation method as claimed in claim 13, further comprising:

deleting the main software from the portable storage device when the main software completely installs in the external device.

15. The automatic software installation method as claimed in claim 13, further comprising:

downloading the main software from a network to which the external device is connected and installing the main software in the external device when the main software is not stored in the portable storage device.

16. The automatic software installation method as claimed in claim 13, further comprising:

downloading a portion of the main software from a network to which the external device is connected and installing the portion of the main software in the external device when the portion of the main software is not stored in the portable storage device.

17. The automatic software installation method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the external device is a computer.

18. The automatic software installation method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the portable storage device comprises a Read Only Memory (ROM) to store the setup program.

19. The automatic software installation method as claimed in claim 12, further comprising:

transmitting optional software and/or additional software, different from the main software, from the portable storage device to the external device.