System and method of software/firmware uploading and upgrading for peripheral devices

1. A method of connecting a device to a host computer comprising;

detecting a connection of a device in a host computer;

loading a default driver, wherein the default driver establishes a default communication link between the device and the host computer, the device being a member of a family of devices, the family of devices including a plurality of devices, the default communication link capable of providing limited communication between each member of the family of devices and the host computer, wherein the default communication link provides access to only a first plurality of functions of the device, the first plurality of functions being compatible with the family of devices;

identifying the device; and

loading a device-specific driver on the host computer, wherein the device-specific driver is stored in a device memory, wherein the device-specific driver corresponds to the identified device, wherein the device specific driver establishes a device-specific communication link between the device and the host computer and wherein the device-specific communication link provides access to a plurality of device-specific functions including the first plurality of functions of the device and wherein loading the device specific driver includes:

unloading the default driver in the host computer; and

detecting the device in a device-specific state in the host computer, wherein the device specific state includes access to the plurality of device-specific functions.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein identifying the device includes:

determining if the device-specific driver is installed on the host computer.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein if the device-specific driver is not installed on the host computer, then: installing the device-specific driver.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein detecting the connection of the device in the host computer includes detecting the device is in a default state.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the device includes a plug and play (PNP) device.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the PNP device includes at least one of a group consisting of a USB device, a Firewire device, an PCMCIA device, a Cardbus device, a PCI device and a mini PCI device.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the default driver has been installed before the device is connected to the host computer.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the default driver is compatible with a plurality of different devices.

9. A computer system comprising:

a processor;

a peripheral device, wherein the peripheral device is coupled to the processor by a first bus, and wherein the peripheral device includes a peripheral device memory system;

a computer memory system, coupled to the processor, wherein the computer memory system includes instructions executable by the processor to:

detect a connection of a device in a host computer;

load a default driver, wherein the default driver establishes a default communication link between the device and the host computer, the device being a member of a family of devices, the family of devices including a plurality of devices, the default communication link capable of providing limited communication between each member of the family of devices and the host computer, wherein the default communication link provides access to a first plurality of functions of the device, the first plurality of functions being compatible with the family devices;

identify the device; and

load a device-specific driver on the host computer, wherein the device specific driver establishes a device-specific communication link between the device and the host computer and wherein the device-specific communication link provides access to a plurality of device-specific functions including the first plurality of functions of the device, wherein the device-specific driver is stored in a device memory, wherein the device-specific driver corresponds to the identified device, and wherein loading the device specific driver includes:

unloading the default driver in the host computer; and

detecting the device in a device-specific state in the host computer, wherein the device specific state includes access to the plurality of device-specific functions.

10. A peripheral device comprising:

an interface, wherein the interface couples signals from the peripheral device and a host computer system in a default state if a device-specific driver is not installed on the host computer system, wherein the default state enables a default driver, the device being a member of a family of devices, the family of devices including a plurality of devices, the default communication link capable of providing limited communication between each member of the family of devices and the host computer, the default state provides access to a first plurality of functions of the device, the first plurality of functions being compatible with the family of devices, and in a device-specific state if the device-specific driver is installed on the host computer system, wherein the device specific state includes establishing a device-specific communication link between the device and the host computer system and wherein the device-specific communication link provides access to a plurality of device-specific functions including the first plurality of functions of the device;

a peripheral device memory, wherein the peripheral device memory includes the device-specific driver stored, thereon, wherein the device-specific driver corresponds to the peripheral device, wherein the stored device-specific driver can be accessed by the host computer system, wherein at least a portion of the peripheral device memory is re-writeable memory, wherein the device-specific driver can be overwritten by at least one of the peripheral device or the host computer system.