Automatic web-based detection and display of product installation help information

Claim 3

A method according to claim 1 , further comprising: wherein the first data path is in communication with a private-access network, and the second data path is in communication with a public-access network.

Claim 4

A method according to claim 1 , further comprising: wherein the first memory is a selected one of ROM, PROM, EPROM, flash memory, magnetically-recordable computer-readable media, and optically-recordable computer-readable media.

Claim 5

A method according to claim 1 , in which device-specific help information has associated version data, and the retrieved device-specific help from the second data path is a first device-specific help, the method further comprising: retrieving a second device-specific help information from the public-access network over a third data path; comparing version data for the first and second device-specific help information; and if the first device-specific help information has an older version than the second device-specific help information, then updating the first information with the second information.

Claim 6

A method according to claim 1 , further comprising: retrieving a characteristic profile for the network-attachable device, such profile including at least one interface for controlling operation of the network-attachable device.

Claim 7

A method according to claim 5 , further comprising: configuring a control device to perform automatic control of the network-attachable device through the at least one interface; wherein the characteristic profile includes an interface description formatted according to an interface description language, such language indicating functionality of controls available through the at least one interface.

Claim 8

A method according to claim 6 , further comprising: maintaining a manifest of devices attached to the first data path; and providing a concordance between manifest entries and device-specific help information for such devices attached to the first data path.

Claim 9

A method according to claim 7 , further comprising: receiving a disconnect notification from the network-attachable device over the first data path; and secluding, in response to the disconnect notification, the network-attachable device from the manifest.

Claim 10

A method according to claim 1 , in which the configuration interface is incorporated into a graphical user interface for configuring network-attachable devices, the method further comprising: displaying the device-specific help information on a display; selecting a configurable option of the network-attachable device; modifying the configurable option; and committing modifications to cause an update to the device-specific help information.

Claim 11

A method according to claim 1 , further comprising: maintaining a manifest of devices attached to the first data path; and providing a concordance between an entry on the manifest and device-specific help information.

Claim 12

A method according to claim 10 , further comprising: receiving a disconnect notification from the network-attachable device over the first data path; and secluding, in response to the disconnect notification, the network-attachable device from the manifest.

Claim 13

A method according to claim 1 , in which the characteristic interface includes an input and an output for configuring the network-attachable device, the method further comprising: outputting the device-specific help information to the output; receiving a configuration command from the input; and updating the device-specific help information according to the configuration command.

Claim 14

A method according to claim 12 , wherein updating the device-specific help information includes: storing such modified device-specific help information in a local configuration memory for the network-attachable device.

Claim 17

A method according to claim 14 , wherein the operation of retrieving the configuration includes the operation of: retrieving a local configuration profile from a local memory associated with the attached device, such local memory accessed over the private network; wherein the local configuration includes a network location indicator identifying a location on the public network from which the remote configuration can be retrieved.

Claim 18

A method according to claim 14 , in which configuration profiles are formatted in a web-browser format, and wherein the interface is a web-browser.

Claim 19

An article of manufacture, comprising a readable medium having programming instructions encoded thereon capable of causing a processor to perform the operations of: receiving a connection notification for the network-attachable device over a first data path; retrieving a device-specific help information for the network-attachable device over a second data path in communication with a first memory associated with the network-attachable device, such memory containing device-specific help data; and providing the device-specific help information to a configuration interface providing access to the device-specific help information.

Claim 20

An article of manufacture, comprising a readable medium having programming instructions encoded thereon capable of causing a processor to perform the operations of: receiving a connection notification for the network-attachable device over a first data path; retrieving a device-specific help information for the network-attachable device over a second data path in communication with a first memory associated with the network-attachable device, such memory containing device-specific help data; and providing the device-specific help information to a configuration interface providing access to the device-specific help information.

Claim 21

The medium of claim 17 , further comprising: wherein the first data path is in communication with a private-access network, and the second data path is in communication with a public-access network.

Claim 22

The medium of claim 17 , further comprising: wherein the first memory is a selected one of ROM, PROM, EPROM, flash memory, magnetically-recordable computer-readable media, and optically-recordable computer-readable media.

Claim 23

The medium of claim 17 , in which device-specific help information has associated version data, and the retrieved device-specific help from the second data path is a first device-specific help, said programming instructions including further instructions for: retrieving a second device-specific help information from the public-access network over a third data path; comparing version data for the first and second device-specific help information; and if the first device-specific help information has an older version than the second device-specific help information, then updating the first information with the second information.

Claim 24

The medium of claim 17 , said programming instructions including further instructions for: retrieving a characteristic profile for the network-attachable device, such profile including at least one interface for controlling operation of the network-attachable device.

Claim 25

The medium of claim 21 , said programming instructions including further instructions for: configuring a control device to perform automatic control of the network-attachable device through the at least one interface; and including an interface description, formatted according to an interface description language, with the characteristic profile, such language indicating functionality of controls available through the at least one interface.

Claim 26

The medium of claim 22 , said programming instructions including further instructions for: maintaining a manifest of devices attached to the first data path; and providing a concordance between manifest entries and device-specific help information for such devices attached to the first data path.

Claim 27

The medium of claim 23 , said programming instructions including further instructions for: receiving a disconnect notification from the network-attachable device over the first data path; and secluding, in response to the disconnect notification, the network-attachable device from the manifest.

Claim 28

The medium of claim 17 , in which the configuration interface is incorporated into a graphical user interface for configuring network-attachable devices, said programming instructions including further instructions for: displaying the device-specific help information on a display; selecting a configurable option of the network-attachable device; modifying the configurable option; and committing modifications to cause an update to the device-specific help information.

Claim 29

The medium of claim 17 , said programming instructions including further instructions for: maintaining a manifest of devices attached to the first data path; and providing a concordance between an entry on the manifest and device-specific help information.

Claim 30

The medium of claim 26 , said programming instructions including further instructions for: receiving a disconnect notification from the network-attachable device over the first data path; and secluding, in response to the disconnect notification, the network-attachable device from the manifest.

Claim 31

The medium of claim 17 , in which the configuration interface includes an input and an output for configuring the network-attachable device, said programming instructions including further instructions for: outputting the device-specific help information to the output; receiving a configuration command from the input; and updating the device-specific help information according to the configuration command.

Claim 32

The medium of claim 28 , wherein said instructions for updating the device-specific help information includes further instructions for: storing such modified device-specific help information in a local configuration memory for the network-attachable device.

Claim 33

An article of manufacture for configuring a removably-attachable network device, said article comprising a readable medium having programming instructions encoded thereon capable of causing a processor to perform the operations of: receiving a connection notification over a private network from a newly-attached device having a configuration interface; adding an entry to a manifest tracking connection notifications, such entry including an identifier for the newly-attached device; providing an interface for inspecting and selecting each manifest entry; retrieving a configuration profile for an attached device corresponding to a selected manifest entry, said retrieving including retrieving a remote configuration profile from a remote memory associated with the attached device, such remote memory accessed over the public network; and storing at least a portion of the configuration profile by way of the configuration interface.

Claim 34

An article of manufacture for configuring a removably-attachable network device, said article comprising a readable medium having programming instructions encoded thereon capable of causing a processor to perform the operations of: receiving a connection notification over a private network from a newly-attached device having a configuration interface; adding an entry to a manifest tracking connection notifications, such entry including an identifier for the newly-attached device; providing an interface for inspecting and selecting each manifest entry; retrieving a configuration profile for an attached device corresponding to a selected manifest entry, said retrieving including retrieving a remote configuration profile from a remote memory associated with the attached device, such remote memory accessed over the public network; and storing at least a portion of the configuration profile by way of the configuration interface.

Claim 35

The medium of claim 30 , wherein said programming instructions for retrieving the configuration include further instructions for: retrieving a local configuration profile from a local memory associated with the attached device, such local memory accessed over the private network; wherein the local configuration includes a network location indicator identifying a location on the public network from which the remote configuration can be retrieved.

Claim 36

The medium of claim 30 , in which configuration profiles are formatted in a web-browser format, and wherein the interface is a web-browser.

Claim 37

An article of manufacture, comprising a readable medium having programming instructions encoded thereon capable of causing a processor to perform the operations of: receiving a connection notification for the network-attachable device over a first data path; retrieving a device-specific help information for the network-attachable device over a second data path in communication with a memory associated with the network-attachable device, such memory containing device-specific help data; and providing the device-specific help information to a configuration interface of the network-attachable device, the configuration interface providing access to the device-specific help information.

Claim 38

An article of manufacture, comprising a readable medium having programming instructions encoded thereon capable of causing a processor to perform the operations of: receiving a connection notification for the network-attachable device over a first data path; retrieving a device-specific help information for the network-attachable device over a second data path in communication with a memory associated with the network-attachable device, such memory containing device-specific help data; and providing the device-specific help information to a configuration interface of the network-attachable device, the configuration interface providing access to the device-specific help information.

Claim 39

The article of manufacture of claim 33 , wherein said programming instructions include further instructions for: maintaining a manifest of devices attached to the first data path; associating manifest entries with device-specific help information; receiving a disconnect notification from the network-attachable device over the first data path; and tracking the disconnect notification within the manifest.

Claim 42

The method of claim 35 , further comprising: maintaining a manifest of devices attached to the first data path; associating manifest entries with device-specific help information; receiving a disconnect notification from the network-attachable device over the first data path; and tracking the disconnect notification within the manifest.