USB Autorun Device

• US 20110010470A1
• Filed: 12/10/2007
• Published: 01/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Arkeytyp Ip Ltd
• Original Assignee: Visible Computing Limited
• Inventors: Hulbert, Thomas Steven, Bishop, Durrell Grant Bevington
• Application Number:
  US12/517,842
• Publication Number:
  US 20110010470A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/13
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/102 where the programme performs an interfacing function, e.g. device driver G06F13/105 takes precedence; scheduling within device drivers G06F9/52; contention policies within device drivers G06F9/4881
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/20 for access to input/output bus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4081 Live connection to bus, e.g. hot-plugging current or voltage limitation during live insertion H02H9/004
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4282 on a serial bus, e.g. I2C bus, SPI bus on daisy chain buses G06F13/4247
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/23 Updating
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/34 involving the use of external additional devices, e.g. dongles or smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/575 Secure boot
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/77 in smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/85 interconnection devices, e.g. bus-connected or in-line devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2213/0042 Universal serial bus [USB]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2153 Using hardware token as a secondary aspect
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0219 Special purpose keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/445 Program loading or initiating bootstrapping G06F9/4401; security arrangements for program loading or initiating G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0838 Historical data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/047 using payment protocols involving electronic receipts
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/065 using e-cash
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/105 involving programming of a portable memory device, e.g. IC cards, "electronic purses"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/24 Credit schemes, i.e. "pay after"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/342 Cards defining paid or billed services or quantities
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/349 : Rechargeable cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/385 : using an alias or single-use codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4012 : Verifying personal identification numbers [PIN]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/016 : After-sales
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0185 : Product, service or business identity fraud
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 : Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0838 : using one-time-passwords
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 : using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0861 : using biometrical features, e.g. fingerprint, retina-scan cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using biological data H04L9/3231
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/105 : Multiple levels of security
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 : for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 : Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/068 : using credential vaults, e.g. password manager applications or one time password [OTP] applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 : Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0278 : of USB type details relating to connectors H01R27/00

Abstract

A portable, application-specific USB autorun device, following connection to a computer terminal, automatically initialises or presents itself as a known type of device and then automatically sends to the terminal a sequence of data complying with a standard protocol, that sequence of data automatically causing content to be accessed or a task to be initiated. The device (i) includes a standardised USB module that includes a USB microcontroller, the standardised module being designed to be attached to or embedded in multiple types of different, application specific packages but (ii) excludes mass memory storage for applications or end-user data.

Claims

1-54. -54. (canceled)

55. A portable, application-specific USB autorun device that, following connection to a computer terminal, automatically initialises or presents itself as a known type of device and then automatically sends to the terminal a sequence of data, the data complying with a standard protocol, that sequence of data automatically causing content to be accessed or a task to be initiated;

wherein the device (i) includes a standardised USB module that includes a USB microcontroller, the standardised module being designed to be attached to or embedded in multiple types of different, application specific packages but (ii) excludes mass memory storage for applications or end-user data.

56. The device of claim 55, in which the first sequence of data are keycodes, the keycodes complying with the human interface device (HID) keyboard standard protocol.

57. The device of claim 55 which (a) is operable as an application-specific USB autorun device because it is designed for solely a single application and (b) includes less than 64 MB memory.

58. The device of claim 55, in which the physical shape or marking of the packaging or housing of the device represents or is associated with the single application that the device performs.

59. The device of claim 55, in which the data automatically sent from the device to the terminal causes a URL to be sent by that terminal to open a specific website address and in which a unique device or user ID and password (or passcode) is appended to the URL and passed as parameters to a web server, so that the device and/or user can be identified.

60. The device of claim 55, which is specific to the application of accessing a user customised or personalised website, the device including a unique ID that acts as a permanent and portable cookie;

so that, when the USB autorun device is connected to the terminal, it autoruns and opens a URL to user-customised or personalised pages on that website.

61. The device of claim 55, which is specific to the application of smart product tags, in which the device is adapted to be temporarily attached to a product and, when connected to the terminal, autoruns and opens a URL to a web site with information on the product.

62. The device of claim 55, which is specific to the application of gift vouchers or tokens, in which the device autoruns and opens a URL when connected to the terminal and the URL links to an online store where items can be purchased using the value of a voucher or token associated with the device.

63. The device of claim 55, which is specific to the application of loyalty cards, in which the device autoruns and open the URL of a retailer'"'"'s website or online store to enable the user to check, redeem or collect loyalty points.

64. The device of claim 55, which is specific to the application of simplifying usage of a computer, in which the device autoruns to automatically configure the computer in a specific way or open an application to a specific state.

65. The device of claim 55, which is specific to the application of operating a toy.

66. The device of claim 55, which is specific to the application of booking or tracking parcels or deliveries, in which the device autoruns to automatically open the URL of a website that includes booking or tracking information for a specific individual, specific company or specific parcel.

67. The device of claim 55, which is specific to the application of digital rights management, in which the device autoruns to provide a user'"'"'s DRM key or other DRM related identifier.

68. The device of claim 55, which is specific to the application of internet gambling, in which the device autoruns to open a URL of a web based gambling

69. The device of claim 55 which also contains data that automatically provides a predefine amount of credit.

70. The device of claim 55, which is specific to the application of secure on-line access, in which the device autoruns to open a URL of a secure web site and includes one-time-only (OTO) data in the URL so that the device can be authenticated by a server.

71. The device of claim 55, which is specific to the application of providing access to a digital version of a document, the device being adapted to be physically associated with a paper copy of that document but, when inserted into the terminal, autoruns to open the URL for the digital version of the document.

72. The device of claim 55, which is specific to the application of online photo management and sharing, in which the device autoruns and opens the URL of the photo management and sharing service.

73. The device of claim 55, which is specific to the application of accessing collaborative tools, in which the device autoruns and opens the URL of a web-based collaboration tool.

74. The device of claim 55, which is specific to the application of internet radio, in which the device autoruns and opens the URL of an internet radio station and the URL links to a live audio stream that could either be played within the browser or could automatically redirect to launch a software media player