External device extension method for enabling an external device to be operated by a host without installing a driver

摘要

The present invention relates to an external device extension method and an external device. The external device is provided with a storage device interface and firmware for implementing operation requests of standard functions of the storage device interface. When the external device is connected to a host, the firmware communicates with the host according to standards of the storage device interface, so that the external device is identified by the host as a standard external storage device, and one or more of operation names, parameter names, data names, and/or device status names supported by the external device are simulated as one or more directories and/or files. Upon receiving a standard directory and/or file read/write request from the host, the external device executes a corresponding external device operation instruction, processes written data, and returns, according to the read request, data formatted according to the request from the host. The use of the external device does not need any driver to be installed, and all functions of the external device can be accessed and used, so as to make it possible that some smart appliances using embedded software can be connected to and use the external devices.

主权项

1. An external device extension method for enabling an external device to be operated by a host without installing a driver thereto, comprising the following steps:
(a) setting a correspondence between one or more names selected from operation names, parameter names, data names, device status names, and operation commands and/or data of said external device in said external device, and establishing rules of a file system associated with said correspondence, wherein said operation names, said parameter names, said data names and said device status names are respectively character strings to distinguish different operations, parameters, data and device statuses, wherein said external device is an operational device and is a non-standard storage device; (b) initializing said external device as a standard external storage device via a firmware of said external device when said external device is activated, wherein said firmware communicates with said host according to the standard of storage device interface, such that when said external device is connected to said host, said host identifies said external device as said standard external storage to omit said driver of said external device to be installed into said host, and initializing said file system thereof according to said rules; (c) initializing said operation names, said parameter names, said data names and said device status names as one or more simulated regular directories and/or files in said external device, wherein name extensions of said files are set according to the data format; and (d) executing said directories and/or files corresponding operation commands of said external device when said external device receives a standard request from said host for reading and/or writing said directories and/or files in said external device, processing written data, and returning formatted data requested by said host in response to a reading request.