Device-based model for software driver delivery and upgrade
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorsJohn Leland Boldon, Joseph Edward Halpern, III
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for facilitating the upgrade of device drivers for computer peripheral devices includes detecting a version of the device driver in use by the computer from data sent by the computer to the peripheral device determining whether the version of the device driver may be out of date signaling the computer if it is determined that a newer version of the device driver may be available.
Claims25
A method for facilitating the upgrade of a device driver installed on a computer that is intended for use with a computer peripheral device, the method comprising:
- detecting a version of the device driver in use by the computer from imaging job data sent by the computer to the peripheral device by scanning the imaging job data to determine if it meets certain criteria for data generated by a latest version of the device driver;
- determining whether the version of the device driver may be out of date;
- and
- signaling the computer if it is determined that the device driver may be out of date.
An imaging device comprising:
- a driver management facility that is configured to detect a version of a device driver from imaging job data sent by a computer to the imaging device by scanning the imaging job data to determine if it meets certain criteria for data generated by a latest version of the device driver;
- and
- a notification module that is configured to transmit information back to the computer about the version of the device driver.
A computer-readable media tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by a computer and/or a computer peripheral device to perform a method for facilitating the upgrade of device drivers for computer peripheral devices, the method comprising:
- detecting a version of the device driver in use by the computer from imaging job data sent by the computer to the peripheral device by scanning the imaging job data to determine if it meets certain criteria for data generated by a latest version of the device driver;
- determining, by the peripheral device, whether the version of the device driver may be out of date;
- and
- signaling the computer if it is determined that a newer version of the device driver may be available.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.