Patent ID: 8561087

Claim:
A method, performed by a host system, for enabling software stored on a removable storage-capable device, the method comprising the steps of: in the host system, performing: executing a probe command in the host system; subsequent to executing the probe command, receiving a list of device functional units residing in the removable storage-capable device; subsequent to receiving the list, receiving the software based on a host-OS identifier sent in a security-protocol-out payload of the probe command; determining whether an operating system of the host system supports the software; when the operating system of the host system is determined to support the software: loading software from an authenticatable storage area residing in the removable storage-capable device; validating said software; installing the validated software, wherein the validated software provides an interface between the host system and device-functionality software in the removable storage-capable device; using the validated and installed software to load device-functionality software from the authenticatable storage area; validating the device-functionality software; and enabling the validated device-functionality software; and when the operating system of the host system is determined not to support the software: skipping the steps of loading, validating, and installing the software.