Launching computer applications

• US 5,835,759 A
• Filed: 06/17/1997
• Issued: 11/10/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Compaq Computer Corporation (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Brown, Norman P., Hess, Randall L., Johnson, Drew S., Burckhartt, David M., Moore, Mark Douglass
• Primary Examiner(s): Kriess, Kevin A.
• Application Number:
  US08/877,214
• Time in Patent Office: 511 Days
• Field of Search: 395/651, 395/652, 395/653, 395/712, 395/200.5, 395/200.51, 395/200.52
• US Class Current: 713/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/445 Program loading or initiating bootstrapping G06F9/4401; security arrangements for program loading or initiating G06F21/57

Abstract

A computer application stored on a storage medium (e.g., a portable storage medium such as a compact disk) is automatically launched. Initialization information expressed in accordance with a predefined syntax is stored on the storage medium. Also stored in the computer is "launching" information sufficient, together with the initialization information, to enable the computer to launch the application. The application is automatically launched, without user intervention, by reading the initialization information and using it in connection with the launching information stored in the computer.

Claims

1. A computer system that automatically launches a computer application comprising

a storage medium that stores initialization information associated with the application,

a processor instructed to read the initialization information and use it in connection with launching information stored in the computer system to automatically launch the application without user intervention, and

an input/output device coupled to the processor.

2. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the launching information and the initialization information together are sufficient to enable the computer system to launch the application.

3. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the initialization information is expressed in accordance with a predefined syntax.

4. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the storage medium comprises a first storage medium that stores the initialization information, the computer system further comprising a second storage medium that stores the launching information.

5. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the initialization information comprises an initialization file.

6. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the storage medium comprises a CD-ROM.

7. The computer system of claim 1, further compising a hard drive which stores the launching information.

8. The computer system of claim 1, further comprising RAM which stores the launching information.

9. A computer system comprising

a storage medium on which is stored an application program, and

an initialization file which

identifies categories of computer system resources used by the application, including sound resources and video resources,

includes execution information identifying an executable file that starts the application and information about installation and setup requirements of the application,

a processor which uses the initialization information to automatically launch the application program, and

an input/output device coupled to the processor.

10. A computer system that launches an application program comprising

a storage medium that stores an initialization file associated with the application program along with the application program,

a processor that is instructed to

make passes through the initialization file to determine the total memory requirements of the application program,

initialize configuration files and autoexecution files in the system,

interpret information in the initialization file describing system resources required for the execution of the application program and for installation or setup of the application program,

alter the configuration files and the autoexecution files in accordance with the passes through the initialization file and the interpretation of information in the initialization file, and

launch the application program in the system with no participation by the user, and

an input/output device coupled to the processor.

11. A computer system, comprising

a resource to be used with an application to be run on the computer system, and

a storage medium that stores information that is expressed in accordance with a predefined syntax, that defines how the resource is to be configured, and that associates configuration information with a category identifier to which the resource belongs, the identifier corresponding to identifier information associated with the application.

12. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the resource comprises a modem.

13. A computer system, comprising

a resource to be used with an application to be run on the computer system, and

a storage medium that stores information that is expressed in accordance with a predefined syntax, that defines how the resource is to be configured, and that associates configuration information with a resource identifier to which the resource belongs, the identifier corresponding to identifier information associated with the application.

14. The computer system of claim 13, wherein the resource comprises a modem.

15. A computer system that aids automatic launching of a computer application comprising

a storage medium that stores information for enabling automatic determination of whether an installation or setup program must be run with respect to the application, and information about how to run it,

a processor that is instructed, in connection with launching the application, to automatically determine if an installation or set up program must be run for the application, and if so, running it, and

an input/output device coupled to the processor.