Method of installing a plug and play device driver and software

Abstract

A method of installing a driver and software for a plug and play device is provided, wherein the plug and play device includes a main function device and a storage device meeting a standard specification. The storage device stores a driver and software required by the main function device. The main function device and storage device may be connected to the host in two different ways after the plug and play device is installed to the host. The first way is to connect the two devices to the host simultaneously. The host loads a built-in standard driver for the storage device from the host to access the storage device, and then loads the driver and software required by the main function device from the storage device to gain freely access to the main function device. The second way is to connect the storage device to the host, and to cause the host to copy the main function device driver and software from the storage device to the host's storage device (e.g., a disk drive). Next, the main function device is connected to the host. At this time, the host can directly load the copied driver and software for the main function device and retrieve the device accordingly.

1 . A method of installing a driver and software for a plug and play device into a host to which the plug and play device is connected, the plug and play device comprising a main function device and a storage device compliant with a standard specification, the driver and software for the main function device being stored in the storage device, the method comprising the steps of: 
 connecting the plug and play device to the host; and    initiating the host to load the driver from the storage device.    
   
   
       2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the plug and play device meets a universal serial bus (USB) interface specification.  
   
   
       3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the standard specification is a mass storage class (MSC) specification of the underlying specification of the plug and play device.  
   
   
       4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the plug and play device meets an IEEE 1394 interface specification.  
   
   
       5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the plug and play device meets a peripheral component interconnect (PCI) interface specification.  
   
   
       6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the plug and play device meets a Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA) interface specification.  
   
   
       7 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the plug and play device meets a Compact Flash interface specification.  
   
   
       8 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the step of connecting the plug and play device to the host comprises the steps of: 
 (a) connecting the storage device, which is compliant with a standard specification, to the host;    (b) causing the host to copy the driver and software from the storage device; and    (c) connecting the main function device to the host.    
   
   
       9 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the plug and play device meets a universal serial bus (USB) interface specification.  
   
   
       10 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the standard specification is a mass storage class specification of the underlying specification of the plug and play device.  
   
   
       11 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the plug and play device meets an IEEE 1394 interface specification.  
   
   
       12 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the plug and play device meets a peripheral component interconnect (PCI) interface specification.  
   
   
       13 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the plug and play device meets a universal serial bus (USB) specification.  
   
   
       14 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the plug and play device meets a Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA) interface specification.  
   
   
       15 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the plug and play device meets a Compact Flash interface specification.  
   
   
       16 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the storage device, which is compliant with a standard specification, is connected to the host by a signal cable, and the method further comprises, between said steps (b) and (c), the step of: 
 (d) disconnecting the storage device from the host and then connecting the main function device to the host.    
   
   
       17 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein said step (d) is performed by adjusting voltage levels on the signal cable to simulate disconnecting and connecting.  
   
   
       18 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the plug and play device meets a universal serial bus (USB) interface specification.  
   
   
       19 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the standard specification is a mass storage class specification of the underlying specification of the plug and play device.  
   
   
       20 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the plug and play device meets an IEEE 1394 interface specification.  
   
   
       21 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the plug and play device meets a peripheral component interconnect (PCI) interface specification.  
   
   
       22 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the plug and play device meets a universal serial bus (USB) specification.  
   
   
       23 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the plug and play device meets a Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA) interface specification.  
   
   
       24 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the plug and play device meets the Compact Flash interface specification.