JP2008129653A - Driver installation method, target equipment controlled by driver - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a driver installation method facilitating installation of a desired driver for target equipment in a computer for controlling the target equipment by the driver and having high flexibility in selecting a driver, and to provide the target equipment controlled by the driver. <P>SOLUTION: The driver installation method, for installing the driver in the computer for controlling the target equipment, includes: a setting step of setting a driver to be preferentially installed to the target equipment 1, as a preferred installation driver; a storage step of allowing the target equipment 1 to store the preferred installation driver in a storage device 4 of its own equipment available by a mass storage function from the computer 2; and a transmission step in which a computer 2 is connected to the target equipment 1 thorough an interface conforming to the mass storage function and the preferred installation driver stored in a storage device 4 is transmitted to the computer 2 for installation therein, thus solving the problem. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a driver installation method and a target device controlled by a driver, and more particularly to a driver installation method for installing a driver in a computer that controls the target device by a driver and a target device controlled by the driver.

  For example, when a printer driver is installed in a computer, a storage medium such as a compact disk (CD) storing a printer driver corresponding to the printer is set in the computer for installation.

Patent Document 1 describes an example of a technique for improving convenience when installing a printer driver. In Patent Document 1, a printer driver is automatically installed by connecting a printer key suitable for a printer to be used to a computer or bringing it closer to the printer to be used.
JP 2006-113968 A

  In order to install a printer driver on a computer, a user normally selects a storage medium storing a printer driver corresponding to the printer, and further selects a data storage location such as a directory storing the printer driver. In some cases, the user may get lost, which is a troublesome work for the user.

  Although the technique described in Patent Document 1 described above can eliminate the complexity of installing the printer driver, a special mechanism for automatically installing the printer driver is necessary, and the printer driver by the user is required. There was a problem that the degree of freedom of selection was low.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and can easily install a driver of a target device to be used in a computer that controls the target device by a driver, and has a high degree of freedom in selecting a driver. An object is to provide a target device controlled by a driver.

  In order to solve the above-described problem, the present invention provides a driver installation method for installing the driver in a computer that controls the target device by a driver, and prioritizes a driver that the target device preferentially installs according to an instruction from a user. A setting step for setting as an installation driver, a storage step for storing the set preferential installation driver in a storage device in the own device that can be used by the target device from the computer by a mass storage function, and the mass storage function A transmission step in which the computer is connected to the target device via an interface, and the priority installation driver stored in the storage device is transmitted to the computer for installation.

  In order to solve the above-described problem, the present invention sets a driver that is a target device controlled by the driver from a computer in which the driver is installed and that is preferentially installed according to an instruction from the user as a priority installation driver. The computer is connected via a setting means, a storage means for storing the set preferential installation driver in a storage device in its own apparatus that can be used from the computer by a mass storage function, and an interface corresponding to the mass storage function. And sending means for sending the preferential installation driver stored in the storage device to the computer for installation.

  In addition, what applied the component, expression, or arbitrary combination of the component of this invention to a method, an apparatus, a system, a computer program, a recording medium, a data structure, etc. is also effective as an aspect of this invention.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the driver of the target apparatus to use can be easily installed in the computer which controls a target apparatus with a driver, The driver installation method with a high freedom degree of selection of a driver, The target apparatus controlled by a driver Can be provided.

  Next, the best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described based on the following embodiments with reference to the drawings. In this embodiment, an example in which a printer driver is installed in a computer that controls the printer by the printer driver will be described. However, the driver and the target device are not limited to the printer driver and the printer.

  For example, the driver is not limited to a printer driver as long as it is software installed in a computer and operating the target device. The target device is not limited to a printer as long as it is a device controlled by a driver installed in a computer.

  First, an outline of the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram showing an example of a system according to the present invention. In the system of FIG. 1, a printer (target device) 1 controlled by a printer driver (driver) and a client PC (computer) 2 that controls the printer 1 by a printer driver are connected by a USB cable 3. The printer 1 has a built-in hard disk drive (HDD) 4.

  Currently, a USB standard driver of a general operating system (OS) such as Windows (registered trademark) has a USB mass storage function. The USB mass storage function is such that when a peripheral device compatible with the USB mass storage class standard is connected through a USB interface of a computer, the peripheral device is recognized as a drive like an HDD or FDD from the computer side. .

  That is, when the client PC 2 is connected to the USB mass storage class compatible printer 1 through the USB interface, the HDD 4 of the printer 1 can be used as a storage device without using a dedicated driver.

  Further, according to the present invention, the USB mass storage function is expanded so that a printer driver to be preferentially installed by the user can be set from the operation panel of the printer 1 as a preferential installation driver, so that the user can freely select the printer driver. Is increasing.

  For example, when the printer 1 and the client PC 2 are connected with the USB cable 3, a driver installation wizard screen is output to the client PC 2. According to the present invention, a priority installation driver can be installed simply by specifying the HDD 4 of the printer 1 automatically mounted by the USB mass storage function as a drive from the driver installation wizard screen.

  In a normal printer driver installation, the user must select the corresponding printer 1 from the driver installation wizard screen and then select a printer driver corresponding to the printer 1.

  In the present invention, it is possible to easily install the preferential installation driver without confusing the user by only specifying the HDD 4 of the printer 1 automatically mounted by the USB mass storage function as a drive from the driver installation wizard screen.

  As described above, according to the present invention, the priority installation driver can be set in the printer 1, and the HDD 4 can be specified as a drive without specifying the directory where the printer driver (INF file) is located from the driver installation wizard screen. The printer driver can be installed.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the software configuration of the printer, peripheral devices, and I / F. The printer 1 shown in FIG. 2 includes a HDD setting module 21, a network control unit 22, an operation control unit 23, an OS / kernel 24, an HDD 25, and an external device I / F 26.

  The network control unit 22 has a USB daemon (usbd). The operation control unit 23 has an operation panel. The OS / kernel 24 has a USB device driver. Each block shown in FIG. 2 executes installation of a printer driver, for example, according to the processing procedure shown in FIG.

  FIG. 3 is a sequence diagram showing a processing procedure of the system according to the present invention. First, the user turns on the printer 1. At this time, it is assumed that the printer 1 and the client PC 2 are not connected by the USB cable 3. When the power is turned on, the printer 1 proceeds to step S1, and the USB daemon 32 notifies the USB device driver 31 of various descriptors.

  Next, the user operates the operation panel 35 to set a priority installation driver from various screens to be described later. Here, it is assumed that the PS driver is set as the priority installation driver. In step S2, the operation panel 35 notifies the HDD setting module 34 of the PS driver as the priority installation driver.

  In step S 3, the HDD setting module 34 copies the PS driver (INF file) notified from the operation panel 35 as a priority installation driver to the root directory of the HDD 33.

  Here, the operator connects the printer 1 and the client PC 2 with the USB cable 3. When the client PC 2 is connected to the USB mass storage class compatible printer 1 via the USB cable 3, the process proceeds to step S 4 to communicate with the USB device driver 31 of the printer 1 and recognize it as the mass storage class. In step S5, the client PC 2 communicates with the USB device driver 31 of the printer 1 and recognizes it as a printer class. Thus, the printer 1 is recognized as the printer 1 and the HDD 33 from the client PC 2. Here, it is assumed that the HDD 33 of the printer 1 is recognized as the F drive.

  In step S6, the client PC 2 displays a driver installation wizard screen in which the HDD 33 of the printer 1 can be designated as the F drive. The user designates the F drive representing the HDD 33 of the printer 1 from the driver installation wizard screen.

  In step S7, the client PC 2 inquires of the USB device driver 31 of the printer 1 about the INF file. In step S8, the USB device driver 31 inquires of the USB daemon 32 about the INF file. In step S9, the USB daemon 32 inquires of the HDD 33 about the INF file.

  Note that a PS driver (INF file) that is a priority installation driver is copied to the root directory of the HDD 33. In step S 10, the USB daemon 32 copies and reads the PS driver from the HDD 33. In step S 11, the USB device driver 31 receives a PS driver from the USB daemon 32. In step S 12, the client PC 2 receives the PS driver from the USB device driver 31.

  In step S 13, the client PC 2 can control the printer 1 by installing the PS driver received from the USB device driver 31 of the printer 1.

  In the sequence diagram of FIG. 3, the PS driver set as the priority installation driver by the user is copied to the root directory of the HDD 33. Since the directory of the HDD 33 recognized from the client PC 2 by the USB mass storage function is the root directory, the client PC 2 can recognize the PS driver by designating the F drive.

  As described above, in the present invention, the printer driver set as the priority installation driver by the user is copied to the root directory of the drive recognized by the USB mass storage function. Therefore, the priority installation driver can be easily set only by specifying the drive. Can be installed on.

  FIG. 4 is an image diagram illustrating an example of a preferential installation driver setting state screen displayed on the operation panel. The user can check the setting state of the priority installation driver by referring to the priority installation driver setting state screen shown in FIG. 4 displayed on the operation panel 35.

  On the priority installation driver setting status screen, the setting status of the priority installation driver, the version of the priority installation driver, and the target OS of the priority installation driver are displayed. For example, in the example of FIG. 4, “RPCS” is displayed as the priority installation driver, “V1.00” as the version of the priority installation driver, and “OsXP” as the target OS of the priority installation driver.

  The priority installation driver setting status screen of FIG. 4 includes a button 41 for shifting to a later-described priority installation driver selection screen, a button 42 for shifting to a priority installation driver version selection screen, and a target OS selection for the priority installation driver A button 43 for shifting to the screen and a button 44 for ending the setting of the priority installation driver are included. The buttons 41 to 44 are constituted by touch panel buttons, for example.

  When the button 41 is touched, the operation panel 35 displays the priority installation driver selection screen shown in FIG. FIG. 5 is an image diagram showing an example of a selection screen for a preferential installation driver displayed on the operation panel.

  The user can set the selected printer driver as the priority installation driver by selecting one printer driver from the selection screen of the priority installation driver shown in FIG. 5 displayed on the operation panel 35. Note that only one printer driver can be selected from the priority installation driver selection screen.

  When the button 42 is touched, the version selection screen of the preferential installation driver shown in FIG. FIG. 6 is an image diagram illustrating an example of a version selection screen of the priority installation driver displayed on the operation panel.

  The user can set the selected version of the printer driver as the version of the priority installation driver by selecting one version from the version selection screen of the priority installation driver shown in FIG. 6 displayed on the operation panel 35. Note that there is one version of the printer driver that can be selected from the version selection screen of the priority installation driver.

  When the button 43 is touched, the target OS selection screen of the priority installation driver shown in FIG. FIG. 7 is an image diagram showing an example of a target OS selection screen of the priority installation driver displayed on the operation panel.

  The user selects one OS from the priority installation driver target OS selection screen shown in FIG. 7 displayed on the operation panel 35, so that the printer driver whose target OS is the target OS is the target installation driver target OS. Can be set. Note that there is only one target OS that can be selected from the target OS selection screen of the priority installation driver.

  The user refers to the priority installation driver, the version of the priority installation driver, and the setting status of the target OS of the priority installation driver displayed on the priority installation driver setting status screen, and touches the button 44 if the setting status is acceptable. The setting of the priority installation driver can be terminated.

  The present invention is not limited to the specifically disclosed embodiments, and various modifications and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the claims.

1 is an overall configuration diagram showing an example of a system according to the present invention. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a software configuration, peripheral devices, and I / F of a printer. FIG. It is a sequence diagram which shows the process sequence of the system by this invention. It is an image figure which shows an example of the priority installation driver setting status screen displayed on an operation panel. FIG. 10 is an image diagram illustrating an example of a selection screen for a priority installation driver displayed on an operation panel. FIG. 10 is an image diagram illustrating an example of a priority installation driver version selection screen displayed on the operation panel. FIG. 10 is an image diagram illustrating an example of a target OS selection screen for a priority installation driver displayed on an operation panel.

Explanation of symbols

1 Printer 2 Client PC
3 USB cable 4, 25, 33 HDD
21 HDD setting module 22 Network control unit 23 Operation control unit 24 OS / kernel 26 External device I / F
31 USB device driver 32 USB daemon 34 HDD setting module 35 Operation panel 41-44 button

Claims (8)

A driver installation method for installing the driver in a computer that controls a target device by a driver,
A setting step for setting a driver to be preferentially installed by the target device according to an instruction from a user as a preferential installation driver;
A storage step of storing the set priority installation driver in a storage device in the target device that can be used by the target device from the computer by a mass storage function;
A transmission step of transmitting the priority installation driver stored in the storage device to the computer for installation via the interface corresponding to the mass storage function. Driver installation method.   The driver installation method according to claim 1, wherein the setting step further sets a version of the priority installation driver.   3. The driver installation method according to claim 1, wherein the setting step further sets a target operation system of the priority installation driver.   2. The driver installation method according to claim 1, wherein the storage step stores the priority installation driver in a root directory of the storage device in the target device. A target device controlled by the driver from the computer on which the driver is installed,
A setting means for setting a driver to be preferentially installed according to an instruction from the user as a preferential installation driver;
Storage means for storing the set priority installation driver in a storage device in the own machine that can be used by the mass storage function from the computer;
A target device comprising: a transmission unit that is connected to the computer via an interface corresponding to the mass storage function, and that transmits the priority installation driver stored in the storage device to the computer for installation.   The target device according to claim 5, wherein the setting unit further sets a version of the priority installation driver.   7. The target device according to claim 5, wherein the setting unit further sets a target operation system of the priority installation driver.   The target device according to claim 6, wherein the storage unit stores the priority installation driver in a root directory of the storage device.

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