Abstract: Aspects for providing a multi-platform POS (point-of-sale) device driver architecture are described. The aspects include binding an API layer and a transport layer of a POS system with a driver stack, the driver stack supporting multiple platforms, multiple connectivities, and multiple APIs of the POS system.

Abstract: A method and system for automatically determining a configuration of an I/O connector panel is disclosed. The method and system comprises the steps of providing information about the capabilities of the connector card to a memory within the connector card, examining the information in the memory. The method and system further includes downloading at least one driver to a system coupled to the I/O connector panel based upon the examined information. In a preferred embodiment, an EEROM is provided in the connector panel that contains details on connectors that are installed and the EEROM is easy to update. The I/O capabilities of a platform (as determined by an I/O panel or other hardware that contains some identification mechanism that defines the I/O capabilities) is within the connector card. This mechanism is then used to determine what software to “preload” into a system so that as new I/O devices are added in the field, the required software for these devices has already been preloaded.