Patent ID: 7168003
Filing Date: 2007-01-23
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. An automated method for testing peripherals and their drivers, including at least one peripheral residing on a network of the type that connects multiple computers and peripherals together, and able to test peripherals on networks having a proxy server, comprising: selecting for testing one or more peripherals which a computer's registry indicates previously have been installed and which accordingly may still be in communicative relationship with the computer, including at least the one peripheral residing on a network of the type that connects multiple computers and peripherals together; testing, independently of any driver, whether the computer can communicate with each selected peripheral, and reporting any communication or peripheral defects, communicating with the at least one peripheral residing on a network in a way that bypasses any proxy server that may be present on the network and that the computer may be programmed to use when communication with the network; finding and then testing a driver corresponding to each selected peripheral, and reporting any missing or defective drivers; guided by information indicating the type of each selected peripheral, obtaining information including the identities and versions of drivers for that type of peripheral which are available for installation, comparing this information to information indicating the identity and version of any drivers found that correspond to the same type of peripheral, and reporting any inappropriate or older version drivers; and on one or more occasions when this method is practiced, installing one or more available drivers to replace missing, defective, inappropriate, or older version drivers.