Self-Installing Computer Peripherals

Abstract

A self-installing peripheral device is provided. The device includes an onboard memory that stores a device driver that enables the device to communicate with a computer operating system. When the device is connected to a computer, the device automatically downloads the device driver to the computer and installs the device driver. In some embodiments, the device is a USB device that may include an internal USB hub. The onboard memory is connected to the USB hub and the primary functionality of the USB device also connects to the computer via a single USB connection through the USB hub. In other embodiments, the device connects to the computer via a wireless connection protocol. Such a device may be a Bluetooth-enabled device.

1 . A method for installing software to operate a peripheral device on a computing device comprising: 
 storing installation software in memory on the peripheral device;    upon detecting a connection between the computing device and peripheral device, installing the installation software onto the computing device to permit the operation of the peripheral device on the computing device.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the peripheral device is a universal serial bus (USB) device.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the peripheral device includes a USB hub having a plurality of ports.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the memory is connected to one of the plurality of ports of the USB hub.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the installation software includes a software device driver.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the installed software includes software for configuring one or more user settings of the peripheral device.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising the step of configuring the one or more user settings of the peripheral device.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising the step of storing the configured user settings in the memory on the peripheral device.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising: 
 removing the peripheral device from the computing device;    connecting the peripheral device to a second computing device;    upon detecting a connection between the second computing device and peripheral device, installing software to operate the peripheral device on the second computing device; and    configuring user settings of the peripheral device according to the configured user settings stored in the memory on the peripheral device.    
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the connection is a wireless connection.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the peripheral device is a Bluetooth-enabled device.  
   
   
       12 . In a self-installing peripheral device connected to a computing device, the peripheral device having installation software stored in a memory on the peripheral device, a method for providing additional storage on the peripheral device comprising: 
 copying the installation software from the peripheral device to the computing device; and    deleting the installation software from the memory on the peripheral device.    
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising adding the memory on the peripheral device to a file system on the computing device.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the self-installing peripheral device is one of a computer mouse, an MP3 player, a trackball, digital pen, joystick, digital camera, keyboard, network interface card, or a printer.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising: 
 prior to deleting the installation software from the memory on the peripheral device, querying a user to determine whether additional storage is desired on the peripheral device.    
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising: 
 prior to copying the installation software from the peripheral device to the computing device, querying a user to determine whether additional storage is desired on the peripheral device.    
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising: 
 updating a registry setting in the computing device to identify the location of the installation software on the computing device.    
   
   
       18 . A method for maintaining updated software on a peripheral device connected to a first computing device comprising: 
 connecting to a remote computer;    downloading the updated software;    storing the updated software in a memory on the peripheral device; and    installing the updated software.    
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the updated software is a device driver for the peripheral device.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising: 
 prior to installing the updated software, querying a user to determine whether the updated software should be installed.    
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising: 
 disconnecting the peripheral device from the first computing device;    connecting the peripheral device to a second computing device;    upon detecting the connection between the peripheral device and the second computing device, installing the updated software on the second computing device.    
   
   
       22 . A method of transferring user-configured settings for self-installing peripheral device from a first computing device to a second computing device comprising: 
 storing installation software in the memory of the peripheral device;    self-installing the installation software onto the first computing device to permit the operation of the peripheral device on the first computing device;    uploading user-configured settings for the peripheral device;    storing the user-configured settings in the memory of the peripheral device; and    automatically transferring the user-configured settings to the second computing device.    
   
   
       23 . A self-installing peripheral device configured to transfer user-configured settings of the peripheral device from a first computing device to a second computing device comprising: 
 a housing;    a memory located inside the housing;    a hub device for receiving a connection from the memory;    the peripheral device configured to:    store installation software in the memory;    upload user-configured settings from a first computing device;    store the user-configured settings in the memory; and    automatically transfer the user-configured settings to a second computing device.