Automatic embedded host configuration system and method

• US 20040073912A1
• Filed: 10/07/2003
• Published: 04/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Oxford Semiconductor, Inc. (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Meza, Joseph R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,287,257 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 719/321
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/258 Data format conversion from or to a database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4415 Self describing peripheral devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0809 Plug-and-play configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0856 by backing up or archiving configuration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies

Abstract

A system and method for automatically detecting the attachment of a peripheral device to a host system, and configuring the host system for communication with the peripheral device is described. In accordance with an aspect of the invention, when a peripheral device is attached to the host system, the host detects the attachment of the device. If a device driver for controlling and communicating with the peripheral device is locally available, then the host system installs and loads the device driver. If the device driver is not locally present, then the host system establishes a connection with a server system that includes a database with the device driver needed for operation of the device. The device driver is forwarded to the host system and is then integrated into the host'"'"'s system software, so that the host can communicate with and control the peripheral device. In accordance with certain aspects of the invention, advertisements or other relevant information about the peripheral device or the host system is displayed to a user, when the host system detects the attachment of the device.

Claims

1. A method of finding control software for a device attached to a host system having a system platform, said method comprising:

in response to detecting the attachment of a device to a host system, automatically retrieving control software for the device, such that the control software is compatible with system platform and the device requirements.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

querying the device for device information in response to detecting the attachment of the device to the host system.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

searching for control software for the device using said device information to identify control software that is compatible with the device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

automatically integrating the control software into the system platform so that the control software allows the host system to communicate with the device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the host system is an embedded system.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the control software is locally present on the host system and is retrieved from the host system.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the control software is retrieved from the device, if it is not locally present on the host system.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the host system is connected to a remote system, and the control software is retrieved from the remote system if it is not present on the host system.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the host automatically detects the attachment of the device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the act of automatically retrieving control software is performed, if a certain version of control software is not present on the host system.

31. The method of claim 7, wherein:

the host system is connected to a remote system, and the control software is retrieved from the remote system if it is not present on the device.

32. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the act of automatically retrieving control software is performed, if a certain version of control software is not present on the device.

11. A host computing system configured to receive a device, said host comprising:

system software for controlling the operation of the host and detecting the attachment of one or more devices to the host;

application software for querying a device attached to the host for device information, and automatically submitting a request for a device driver to a remote server, if a compatible device driver for the device is not present on the host.

12. The host computing system of claim 11, wherein:

the remote system includes a database of device drivers.

13. The host computing system of claim 12, wherein:

the remote server searches the database for a device driver compatible with the system software and the device.

14. The host computing system of claim 13, wherein:

the remote server forwards a device driver to the host system based on information included in the request.

15. The host computing system of claim 14, wherein:

the request includes device information.

16. The host computing system of claim 15, wherein:

the request further includes information about the system software.

17. The host computing system of claim 16, further comprising a Universal Serial Bus, wherein the system software detects the attachment of the device to the Universal Serial Bus.

18. The host computing system of claim 14, wherein:

in response to a submitted request, the application software receives the requested device driver from the remote server.

19. The host computing system of claim 18, wherein:

the application software integrates the device driver into the system software to enable the host to support the detected device.

20. The host computing system of claim 19, the host further comprising a memory, and the device driver comprising executable code, wherein:

the application software integrates the device driver into the system software by;

allocating space in said memory for executing the executable code;

loading the executable code in said memory;

executing the executable code in said memory.

33. The host computing system of claim 16, further including an IEEE 1394 bus architecture, wherein the system software detects the attachment of the device to the bus.

21. A method of automatically configuring a host system to communicate with a hardware device, comprising the acts of:

detecting the attachment of a hardware device to a host system including system software;

querying the hardware device for device information, said device information comprising information about the hardware device characteristics; and

locating a device driver to configure the host system to communicate with said hardware device.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the act of locating the device driver comprises:

searching the host system for the device driver;

if the device driver is not found, then;

establishing a connection with a remote server system;

forwarding to the server system information about the hardware device; and

downloading a device driver based on said information forwarded to the server.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

forwarding to the server system information about the system software.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein:

device information includes one or more descriptors defining the requirements of the hardware device.

25. A method for directed information delivery to a host system comprising:

detecting the attachment of a hardware device to a host system;

querying the hardware device for device information;

establishing a connection with a remote server system;

forwarding to the server system host related information including device information; and

delivering to the host system display information based on said information forwarded to the server.

26. The method of claim 25 further comprising:

said server system searching the world wide web for information that are relevant to said host related information; and

aggregating results of said search into display information for delivery to the host system.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein:

said host related information includes specifications about the host system'"'"'s limitations.

28. The method of claim 27 further comprising:

formatting the display information to meet the host system'"'"'s limitations.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein:

the host system'"'"'s limitations relate to the host system'"'"'s display limitations.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein:

the host system'"'"'s limitations relate to data communication limitations between the host system and the server system.