Automatic server-side plug-and-play without user intervention

Abstract

Automatic server-side plug-and-play without user intervention is disclosed. An automatic plug-and-play component residing on the server is designed to detect connection and disconnection of a device to a port. Without user intervention, the component automatically installs an appropriate driver for the device upon connection of the device to the port. The device is then accessible by clients served by the server. Also without user intervention, the component automatically uninstalls the driver upon disconnection of the device from the port. The device is then inaccessible by the clients.

1 : A server comprising: 
 at least one port driver, each port driver corresponding to a port to which a port device can be connected; and,    an automatic plug-and-play component designed to detect connection and disconnection of a port device to a port having a corresponding port driver selected from the at least one port driver, the component without user intervention automatically installing an appropriate device driver for the port device upon connection thereof to the port, such that the port device is accessible by clients communicatively coupled to the server, and automatically uninstalling the appropriate device driver upon disconnection of the port device from the port, such that the port device is inaccessible by the clients;    wherein the port is a parallel port or a serial port.    
     
     
         2 : The server of  claim 1 , wherein the port device is any one or more from the group of a printer, a scanner, a fax machine, a multi-function device (MFD), and a digital camera.  
     
     
         3 - 6 . (Canceled).  
     
     
         7 : The server of  claim 1 , wherein upon connection of the port device to the port, the automatic plug-and-play component retrieves a plug-and-play identifier from the port device, and selects the appropriate device driver based on the plug-and-play identifier.  
     
     
         8 : The server of  claim 1 , wherein installing the appropriate device driver for the port device includes downloading the appropriate driver from the Internet.  
     
     
         9 : The server of  claim 1 , wherein the server is a server appliance lacking at least a dedicated keyboard and a dedicated monitor.  
     
     
         10 : A machine-readable medium having stored thereon a computer program for execution by a processor of a server communicatively coupled to one or more clients, the computer program comprising: 
 at least one port class driver, each port class driver designed to pass signals to and receive signals from a corresponding port driver corresponding to a port to which a port device can be connected; and,    a monitor designed to monitor connection and disconnection of a port device to a port selected from the at least one port driver, the monitor causing without user intervention automatic installation of an appropriate device driver for the port device upon connection thereof to the port, such that the device is accessible by the clients, and automatic uninstallation of the appropriate device driver upon disconnection of the port device from the port, such that the port device is inaccessible by the clients;    wherein the port is a parallel port or a serial port.    
     
     
         11 : The medium of  claim 10 , wherein the port device is any one or more from the group of a printer, a scanner, a fax machine, a multi-function device (MFD), and a digital camera.  
     
     
         12 - 13 . (Canceled).  
     
     
         14 : The medium of  claim 10 , wherein the monitor is implemented as a service.  
     
     
         15 : The medium of  claim 10 , wherein the monitor resides in user mode, and each of the at least one port class driver resides in a kernel mode.  
     
     
         16 : The medium of  claim 10 , wherein the monitor incorporates monitoring logic implemented as a state-transition system.  
     
     
         17 : The medium of  claim 10 , wherein upon connection of the port device to the port, the monitor retrieves a plug-and-play identifier from the port device, and selects the appropriate device driver based on the plug-and-play identifier.  
     
     
         18 : The medium of  claim 10 , wherein the program further comprises a support component designed to pass signals from the monitor to the at least one port class driver and vice-versa.  
     
     
         19 : The medium of  claim 18 , wherein the support program resides in a user mode.  
     
     
         20 : The medium of  claim 18 , wherein the support component comprises a first component and at least one second component, the first component designed to determine a number of ports of the server and instantiate a number of the at least one second component equal to the number of ports, each second component designed to pass signals from the monitor to one of the at least one port class driver and vice-versa.  
     
     
         21 : The medium of  claim 20 , wherein each of the first component and the at least one second component is implemented as an object.  
     
     
         22 : The medium of  claim 18 , wherein the support component is able to pass signals from an external monitor not residing at the server to the at least one port class driver and vice-versa.  
     
     
         23 : The medium of  claim 22 , wherein the external monitor is implemented as a web component.  
     
     
         24 . (Canceled).