Methods for automatically installing, maintaining, and repairing device driver through the internet and system thereof

• US 20030154425A1
• Filed: 11/25/2002
• Published: 08/14/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Du-il
• Granted Patent: US 7,028,308 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 714/25
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4415 Self describing peripheral devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/22 using redundant apparatus to increase reliability

Abstract

A method that automatically downloads a device driver through the Internet when installing a peripheral device to a host, a method for fixing errors in the device, and a system thereof. A first embodiment includes receiving an error code and/or a server address corresponding to an error from the device when a device error occurs, connecting to a server using the received address to transfer the error code, and receiving a service page from the server with reference to the error code. A second embodiment includes detecting whether the device is connected, receiving device information including a server address, which provides the device driver and/or interface information, from the device and connecting to the received address to transfer the device information and/or operation system information, and receiving a device driver corresponding to the interface information from a server corresponding to the address and installing the device driver.

Claims

1. A method for fixing a peripheral device connected to a host device, the method comprising:

receiving an error code and/or a server address to correspond to an error from the peripheral device when an error is generated in the peripheral device;

connecting to a corresponding server by using the received server address to transfer the error code; and

receiving a corresponding error response service page from the connected server with reference to the error code.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a corresponding error code and a shopping mall server address are received according to a supply error and a corresponding error code and a repair service center address are received according to a system error.

3. A method for installing a driver of a peripheral device which is connected to a host device, the method comprising:

detecting whether the peripheral device is connected;

receiving device information including a server address, which provides the driver and/or interface information, from the peripheral device and connecting to the received server address to transfer the device information and/or operation system (OS) information; and

receiving a device driver corresponding to the transferred interface information from a server corresponding to the server address and installing the device driver.

4. The method of claim 3, further including:

detecting a device driver when the host receives the device information from the peripheral device; and

installing the device driver and initializing the device when the corresponding device driver is checked.

5. A method for installing a driver of a peripheral device which is connected to a host device, the method comprising:

detecting whether the peripheral device is connected to the host device;

receiving a server address, which provides the driver and/or interface information, from the peripheral device;

checking driver version information of the peripheral device;

transferring the driver version information to a server denoted by the received address; and

installing a received updated device driver when the host receives a device driver of an update driver version.

6. The method of claim 5, further including maintaining the present driver when the host receives a message indicating it is not necessary to update the driver from the denoted server.

7. A peripheral device connectable to a host device, the peripheral device comprising:

a storage unit for storing a server address in which a device driver is located and at least one server address corresponding to errors; and

a control unit for transferring the server address stored in the storage unit to the host device when the peripheral device is connected to the host device and transferring the server address corresponding to the error stored in the storage unit to the host device when an error occurs.

8. The peripheral device of claim 7, wherein the control unit transfers the server address stored in the storage unit to the host device by detecting interface information connected to the host device.

9. The peripheral device of claim 7, wherein the storage unit includes a device name, a driver server address, and service-providing server addresses to correspond to the errors.