Method and apparatus for use in installing a scanner

Abstract

A method and apparatus are provided for interactively guiding a user through a scanner installation procedure. When a scanner installation program is launched, the scanner installation program causes various screens having various options to be displayed to a user. The screens provide the user with information that guides the user step-by-step through the scanner installation procedure. The scanner installation program automatically detects which I/O ports of the user's computer are available for connection to the scanner and displays a message to the user indicating which I/O port(s) is available for connection to the scanner. The scanner installation program then provides the user with the option of seeing a visual demonstration of steps that need to be taken by the user in connecting the scanner to the available I/O port of the computer. The user is also provided with the option of printing out written instructions that list the steps that need to be taken in connecting the scanner to the available I/O port. The scanner installation program also provides the user with options as to which scanning software packages are to be installed on the user's computer. When the user selects scanning software packages to be installed on the computer, the amount of memory and time required for installation of each scanning software package is displayed to the user.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A computer program for installing a scanner, the computer program comprising: 
 computer-executable instructions operative to: 
 automatically detect whether or not a particular input/output (I/O) port of a computer is available for connection to the scanner; and  
 cause a message to be displayed on a display device that indicates whether or not a particular I/O port is available for connection to the scanner.  
   
     
     
         2 . The computer program of  claim 1 , wherein the computer-executable instructions are further operative to generate a visual demonstration and to cause the visual demonstration to be displayed on the display device, the visual demonstration demonstrating steps that should be taken by a user in connecting the scanner to a particular I/O port of the computer.  
     
     
         3 . The computer program of  claim 2 , wherein the visual demonstration is a video clip.  
     
     
         4 . The computer program of  claim 2 , wherein the visual demonstration is a series of still photographs.  
     
     
         5 . The computer program of  claim 2 , wherein the computer-executable instructions are further operative to generate textual instructions and to cause the textual instructions to be printed on a printer in communication with the apparatus, the textual instructions instructing a user as to the manner in which the scanner can be connected to a particular I/O port of the computer.  
     
     
         6 . The computer program of  claim 5 , wherein the computer-executable instructions are further operative to detect whether or not the scanner is connected to an I/O port of the computer, detect whether or not the scanner is connected to an I/O port of the computer by opening up a device driver associated with the I/O port, enumerate all devices interfaced with an I/O bus of the computer, and compare an identification (ID) indication associated with the scanner with ID indications associated with the devices that are interfaced with the I/O bus.  
     
     
         7 . The computer program of  claim 6 , wherein, if a determination is made by the computer-executable instructions that the scanner is connected to an I/O port of the computer, the computer-executable instructions set a registry flag in the system registry associated with the computer, wherein setting the registry flag indicates that the scanner is connected to an I/O port of the computer.  
     
     
         8 . The computer program of  claim 1 , wherein the computer-executable instructions are further operative to cause a software installation screen to be displayed on the display device, the software installation screen displaying options as to which scanning software packages may be installed on the computer.  
     
     
         9 . The computer program of  claim 8 , wherein the computer-executable instructions are further operative to detect when a particular scanning software package has been selected by a user and to cause a message to be displayed on the display device that indicates the amount of memory that is required for installation of the selected scanning software package.  
     
     
         10 . The computer program of  claim 8 , wherein the computer-executable instructions are further operative to indicate an amount of time that is required for the selected scanning software package to be installed on the computer.  
     
     
         11 . A computer program for installing a scanner, the computer program comprising: 
 computer-executable instructions operative to: 
 automatically detect whether or not a particular input/output (I/O) port of a computer is available for connection to the scanner; and  
 cause a message to be displayed on a display device that indicates whether or not a particular I/O port is available for connection to the scanner.  
   
     
     
         12 . The computer program of  claim 11 , wherein the computer-executable instructions are further operative to change a language that a message is displayed in based on a language-specific initialization file and display screen titles, button labels and procedure steps based on a language-specific media object file.  
     
     
         13 . The computer program of  claim 11 , wherein the computer-executable instructions are further operative to generate a visual demonstration and cause the visual demonstration to be displayed on the display device, the visual demonstration demonstrating steps that should be taken by a user in connecting the scanner to a particular I/O port of the computer.  
     
     
         14 . The computer program of  claim 13 , wherein the visual demonstration is a video clip.  
     
     
         15 . The computer program of  claim 13 , wherein the visual demonstration is a series of still photographs.  
     
     
         16 . The computer-program of  claim 13 , wherein the computer-executable instructions are further operative to: 
 generate textual instructions; and    cause the textual instructions to be printed on a printer, the textual instructions instructing a user as to the manner in which the scanner can be connected to a particular I/O port of the computer.    
     
     
         17 . The computer program of  claim 11 , wherein the computer-executable instructions are further operative to: 
 automatically detect whether or not the scanner is connected to an I/O port of the computer by opening up a device driver associated with the I/O port, enumerating all devices interfaced with an I/O bus of the computer; and    compare an identification (ID) indication associated with the scanner with ID indications associated with the devices that are interfaced with the I/O bus;    wherein, if a determination is made that the scanner is connected to an I/O port of the computer, a registry flag is set in the system registry associated with the computer, wherein setting the registry flag indicates that the scanner is connected to an I/O port of the computer.    
     
     
         18 . The computer program of  claim 11 , wherein the computer-executable instructions are further operative to: 
 cause a software installation screen to be displayed on the display device, the software installation screen displaying options as to which scanning software packages may be installed on the computer;    detect when a particular scanning software package has been selected by a user; and    cause a message to be displayed on the display device that indicates the amount of memory that is required for installation of the selected scanning software package an the amount of time that is required for the selected scanning software package to be installed on the computer.