Operating System Reboot Check for Driver Installation

Solution Overview

Problem

Users may forget to reboot their operating system after installing a device driver, leading to potential issues with the driver not functioning properly due to unupdated control information.

Innovation Solution

An information processing device and method that includes an instruction accepting unit, a determining unit to check if the operating system has been rebooted, and a prohibiting unit to prevent the application from running if it hasn't, ensuring the operating system is rebooted before the application is used.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the user is allowed to run the application immediately after installation without rebooting, then the ease of operation is improved, but the reliability deteriorates because the control information is not updated

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of operationVSAvoidreliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs a preliminary check before allowing application execution. The determining unit checks whether the operating system has been rebooted after installation, and only if the check passes (i.e., OS has been rebooted), does the prohibiting unit allow the application to run. This preliminary verification ensures reliability while maintaining ease of operation when conditions are met.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback through the determining unit that continuously monitors the reboot status of the operating system. Based on this feedback information, the prohibiting unit dynamically adjusts its behavior to either allow or prevent application execution, creating a closed-loop control system that balances reliability and ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If the system automatically reboots the operating system after application installation, then the reliability is improved, but the loss of time increases due to mandatory rebooting

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovereliabilityVSAvoidloss of time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system makes the reboot requirement dynamic rather than static. The determining unit checks the actual reboot status of the operating system, and the prohibiting unit adjusts its prohibition accordingly. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to maintain reliability when needed while avoiding unnecessary time loss when the OS is already rebooted or doesn't require rebooting.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system enables users to have control over the reboot process. Instead of forcing an automatic reboot, the system allows users to decide whether to reboot based on their needs. The prohibiting unit prevents application execution until the user chooses to reboot, giving users autonomy and flexibility while ensuring reliability when they do reboot.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Reliability

If the system prohibits application execution when OS has not been rebooted, then the reliability is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to restricted execution

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovereliabilityVSAvoidease of operation

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs a preliminary check before allowing application execution. The determining unit checks whether the operating system has been rebooted after installation, and only if the check passes (i.e., OS has been rebooted), does the prohibiting unit allow the application to run. This preliminary verification ensures reliability while maintaining ease of operation when conditions are met.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback through the determining unit that continuously monitors the reboot status of the operating system. Based on this feedback information, the prohibiting unit dynamically adjusts its behavior to either allow or prevent application execution, creating a closed-loop control system that balances reliability and ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS8341385B2Information processing device, information processing method, and computer readable medium therefor

Publication Date: 2012.12.25 BROTHER KOGYO KK

AI summary

An information processing device, configured to perform information processing with an application run on an operating system, includes an installing unit configured to install the application into the information processing device, an instruction accepting unit configured to accept an instruction to run the application, a first determining unit configured to determine whether the operating system has been rebooted after the installation of the application, in response to the instruction accepted through the instruction accepting unit, and a prohibiting unit configured to prohibit the application from being run when the first determining unit determines that the operating system has not been rebooted.