Method and computer program product for providing a device driver
OwnerW. Kyle Uniceinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of distributing a computer program module is provided. The method includes providing a computer program component and an installation module. The computer program component includes code defining functionality specifically associated with the module and excludes version identification data which is required for the module to execute the functionality under command from a master computer program. The installation module, when run on a computer, obtains the version identification data from the master computer program and combines the version identification data and the computer program component to define the computer program module. The invention extends to a computer program product.
Claims25
A method of distributing a computer program module, the method including
- distributing a computer program component which includes code defining functionality associated with the module and excludes version identification data for the module to execute the functionality under command from a master computer program;
- and
- distributing an installation module which, when run on a computer, obtains the version identification data from the master computer program and combines the version identification data and the computer program component to define the computer program module.
A computer program product including a medium readable by a computer, the medium carrying instructions which, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to:
- identify a computer program component which includes object code defining functionality associated with the product and excludes version identification data for the product to execute the functionality under command from a master computer program;
- obtain the version identification data from the master computer program and combine the version identification data and the computer program component to define a computer program module;
- and
- store the computer program module in memory.
A computer program product including a medium readable by a computer, the medium carrying instructions which, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to:
- define symbols to be imported from a Linux kernel, the symbols being uniquely associated with a particular version of the Linux kernel and used by the computer program product which operatively defines a device driver;
- declare structures that describe application program interfaces (APIs) to be imported from the Linux kernel for operation of the device driver;
- obtain the symbols that define identification data from the Linux kernel;
- combine the symbols with driver code functionality provided by the computer program product;
- and
- dynamically import the device driver in the Linux kernel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.