Patent Publication Number: US-2011055853-A1

Title: Operating method and system utilizing the same

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This Application claims priority of Taiwan Patent Application No. 098129849, filed on Sep. 4, 2009, the entirety of which is incorporated by reference herein. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to an operating system, and more particularly to an operating system capable of capturing and installing required drivers. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     In current computer systems, various devices, such as a display card, a sound card and a motherboard, require drivers. When a driver is installed, a corresponding device can be normally operated by a computer system. Generally, the drivers are recorded on a CD-R, wherein different devices require different drivers. Thus, for multiple devices in a computer system, a user must sequentially install all corresponding drivers via their respective CD-RS. 
     Accordingly, for every new or updated device, a user must install a new driver via a new respective CD-R. Thus, due to the conventional driver installation method, users must spend a lot of time, manually installing device drivers via CD-Rs. Additionally, device manufacturers must manufacture a new CD-R for every device offered, which increases costs for devices. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Operating systems are provided. An exemplary embodiment of an operating system comprises a host module and a periphery device. The host module comprises a plurality of processing units and a first lookup table. The periphery device comprises an executive program and a plurality of drivers. The executive program reads the first lookup table and installs a portion of drivers required by the processing units, according to the reading result. 
     An operating method for a host module comprising at least one processing unit is provided. An exemplary embodiment of an operating method is described in the following. A first lookup table is produced according to the processing unit. The first lookup table comprises at least one installation number. The first lookup table is read. At least one first driver among a plurality of drivers required by the processing unit is installed according to the reading result. 
     A detailed description is given in the following embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention can be more fully understood by referring to the following detailed description and examples with references made to the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of an exemplary embodiment of an operating system according to the invention; 
         FIG. 2   a  is a schematic diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a lookup table according to the invention; 
         FIG. 2   b  is a schematic diagram of an exemplary embodiment of another lookup table according to the invention; 
         FIG. 3   a  is a flowchart of an exemplary embodiment of an operating method according to the invention; and 
         FIG. 3   b  is a flowchart of another exemplary embodiment of an operating method according to the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The following description is of the best-contemplated mode of carrying out the invention. This description is made for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention and should not be taken in a limiting sense. The scope of the invention is best determined by reference to the appended claims. 
       FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of an exemplary embodiment of an operating system according to the invention. The operating system  100  comprises a host module  110  and a periphery device  130 . The host module  110  can be any device, which is normally operated after installing a corresponding driver. The invention does not limit the type of host module  110 . In this embodiment, the host device  110  is a host device of a computer system. Additionally, the invention does not limit the type of the periphery device  130 . In one embodiment, the periphery device  130  is a flash drive or a player, such as a DVD player. The player comprises an optical disk. In other embodiments, the periphery device  130  can be any device, which comprises at least one driver. 
     The host module  110  comprises processing units  121 ˜ 123 , a storage unit  124 , and a connection port  127 . In this embodiment, the host module  110  comprises three processing units, but the disclosure is not limited thereto. In other embodiments, the host module  110  comprises at least four processing units. 
     In this embodiment, the drivers corresponding to the processing units  121 ˜ 123  are required to be installed into the host module  110  such that the processing units  121 ˜ 123  can be normally operated. The invention does not limit the type of processing units  121 ˜ 123 . In one embodiment, the processing units can be a display card, a sound card, a network card, and a motherboard, but the disclosure is not limited thereto. 
     The storage unit  124  comprises a lookup table  125  and an operating system (OS)  126 . In one embodiment, the lookup table  125  and the OS  126  are stored in the same memory or stored in different memories. In another embodiment, the storage unit  124  further stores a basic input/output system (BIOS). The BIOS and the lookup table  125  are stored in the same memory. For example, the BIOS is produced and simultaneously, the lookup table  125  is produced according to the type of the processing units  121 ˜ 123 . 
     The lookup table  125  comprises various installation numbers. Each of the installation numbers corresponds to at least one processing unit. In this embodiment, each of the installation numbers corresponds to one processing unit.  FIG. 2   a  is a schematic diagram of an exemplary embodiment of the lookup table  125  according to the invention. The lookup table  125  comprises installation numbers  0001 ,  0003 , and  0005 . In this embodiment, the installation number  0001  corresponds to the processing unit  121 . The installation number  0003  corresponds to the processing unit  122 . The installation number  0005  corresponds to the processing unit  123 . 
     When the connection port  127  of the host module  110  is coupled to the periphery device  130 , the periphery device  130  communicates with the host module  110 . In this embodiment, the connection port  127  is a universal serial bus (USB) interface, but the disclosure is not limited thereto. 
     The periphery device  130  comprises storage unit  131 , such as a flash memory, a CD-R, or a DVD device. The storage unit  131  stores an executive program, a plurality of drivers and a lookup table  132 . The filename extension of the executive program is .INF, such as autorun.inf. When the periphery device  130  is coupled to the connection port  127 , the executive program of the periphery device  130  reads the lookup table  125  of the host module  110 . Then, the executive program captures and installs a portion of drivers of the periphery device  130 . When the portion of drivers of the periphery device  130  is installed, the processing units  121 ˜ 123  can be normally operated. 
       FIG. 2   b  is a schematic diagram of an exemplary embodiment of the lookup table  132  according to the invention. The lookup table  132  records the driving numbers  0001 ˜ 0010  and their corresponding relationships to the drivers. In this embodiment, one driving number corresponds to one driver. For example, the driving number  0001  corresponds to the driver- 1 . The driving number  0003  corresponds to the driver- 3 . In other embodiments, each driving number can correspond to at least two drivers. 
     When the periphery device  130  is coupled to the host module  110  via the connection port  127 , the OS  126  actives the executive program of the periphery device  130 . The executive program reads the lookup table  125  of the host module  110  and installs the corresponding drivers according to the reading result. In this embodiment, the amount of the driving numbers of the lookup table  132  is more than the amount of the installation numbers of the lookup table  125 . 
     For example, after the lookup table  125  of the host module  110  has been read, it is obtained that the host module  110  requires three drivers. The three drivers correspond to the installation numbers  0001 ,  0003 , and  0005 , respectively. Thus, the executive program of the periphery device  130  captures and installs the corresponding drivers from the lookup table  132  according to the reading result. 
     In one embodiment, the executive program reads the lookup table  125  to obtain the installation numbers (e.g.  0001 ,  0003 , and  0005 ). The executive program compares the installation numbers ( 0001 ,  0003 , and  0005 ) and the driving numbers  0001 ˜ 0010  of the lookup table  132 . When a first installation number (e.g.  0001 ) among the installation numbers ( 0001 ,  0003 , and  0005 ) is equal to a first driving number (e.g.  0001 ) among the driving numbers ( 0001 ˜ 0010 ) of the lookup table  132 , the executive program installs the driver- 1  corresponding to the first driving number (e.g.  0001 ). 
     In one embodiment, the executive program stored in the periphery device  130  installs the portion of drivers (e.g. the driver- 1 , the driver- 3 , and the driver- 5 ) required by the processing units  121 ˜ 123  according to the sequence of the recorded installation numbers (e.g.  0001 ,  0003 , and  0005 ). 
     In this embodiment, the lookup table  125  of the host module  110  corresponds to the processing units  121 ˜ 123 . Thus, the portion of drivers required by the processing units  121 ˜ 123  can be captured and installed according to the recorded installation number stored in the lookup table  125 . The required drivers are among the drivers stored in the periphery device  130 . 
     Taking a CD-R as an example, assuming the CD-R has various drivers. A user can install the different drivers for the different processing units via a single CD-R. Thus, the time for installation is reduced and the installation procedure is simplified. 
       FIG. 3   a  is a flowchart of an exemplary embodiment of an operating method according to the invention. The operating method is applied to a host module. The host module comprises at least one processing unit. Taking  FIG. 1  as an example, the host module can comprise three processing units (e.g.  121 ˜ 123 ). 
     A first lookup table is produced according to the processing unit (step S 310 ). The first lookup table can be predetermined or can be produced by the host module. In one embodiment, the host module has a detection function for detecting the type of the processing unit. The host module produces the first lookup table according to the detected result. In another embodiment, the first lookup table is predetermined by a design engineer. The design engineer predetermines the first lookup table according to the type of the processing unit of the host module. 
     The first lookup table can be stored in a storage unit of the host module. In one embodiment, the storage unit further stores a BIOS. In this embodiment, the first lookup table stored in the storage unit comprises at least one installation numbers. Taking  FIG. 2   a  as an example, the first lookup table of the host module comprises three installation numbers (e.g.  0001 ,  0003 , and  0005 ). In this embodiment, each installation number corresponds to a single processing unit. The invention does not limit the corresponding relationship between the installation numbers and the processing units (e.g.  121 ˜ 123 ). In another embodiment, one installation number corresponds to at least two processing units. 
     The first lookup table is read (step S 330 ). Since the first lookup table corresponds to the processing unit, when the first lookup table of the host module is read, the type of the processing unit can be obtained. 
     At least one first driver among the various drivers is installed according to the reading result (step S 350 ). When the first driver is installed, a corresponding processing unit can be normally operated. In this embodiment, various drivers are stored in a storage unit and then the corresponding drivers are captured and installed according to the reading result of the step S 330 . 
       FIG. 3   b  is a flowchart of another exemplary embodiment of an operating method according to the invention.  FIG. 3   b  is similar to  FIG. 3   a  except for the addition of steps S 320  and S 340 . To speedily obtain the first driver required by the processing unit, a second lookup table is produced (step S 320 ). The second lookup table records a corresponding relationship between various driving numbers and drivers. In this embodiment, each driving number only corresponds to one driver (as shown in  FIG. 2   b ). 
     After reading the first lookup table (step S 330 ), the reading result is compared with the driving numbers of the second lookup table (step S 340 ). When the reading result (e.g.  0001 ,  0003 , and  0005  of  FIG. 2   a ) of the step S 330  is equal to one driving number among the driving numbers (e.g.  0001 ˜ 0010  of  FIG. 2   b ), the portion of drivers corresponding to the driving number are installed (step S 350 ). For example, since the installation number  0001  shown in  FIG. 2   a  is equal to the driving number  0001  shown in  FIG. 2   b  and the driving number  0001  corresponds to the driver- 1 , the driver- 1  is installed. 
     Since the first lookup table relates to the processing unit, when the first lookup table is read, the type of the processing unit is obtained. When the type of the processing unit is obtained, the portion of the drivers required by the processing unit can be captured and installed. In this embodiment, various drivers are stored in the same memory, and a user may install a required driver via a single storage unit. 
     While the invention has been described by way of example and in terms of the preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. To the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements (as would be apparent to those skilled in the art). Therefore, the scope of the appended claims should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements.