Self-contained application disk for automatically launching application software or starting devices and peripherals

• US 6,529,992 B1
• Filed: 07/26/1999
• Issued: 03/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Emc IP Holding Company LLC (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Iomega Corporation (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Davidson, Troy Taylor, Thomas, Trent M., Low, Christopher R., McBride, Stephen Larry
• Primary Examiner(s): Hudspeth, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): TZENG, FRED
• Application Number:
  US09/360,337
• Time in Patent Office: 1,317 Days
• Field of Search: 707/1, 707/7, 707/204, 703/21, 711/1, 711/166, 711/170, 713/2, 713/202, 714/15, 360/98.04, 360/99.06, 360/96.5, 369/34, 710/19
• US Class Current: 711/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/445 Program loading or initiating bootstrapping G06F9/4401; security arrangements for program loading or initiating G06F21/57

Abstract

A system and method for automatically executing a participating application upon insertion of a removable media into a computing device. When the computing device detects that the removable media containing has been inserted, a task disk control file is read from the removable media. The task disk control file contains all of the configuration information necessary to run the participating application from the removable media. The participating application is then launched for use by a user. After the user is finished using the participating application, the removable disk is automatically ejected. In addition to monitoring for insertion of the removable media, events such as a completion of the self-contained application and a request to eject the media are monitored. When a completion event is encountered, all data files are saved, temporary files deleted and configuration information removed prior to the removable disk ejection. When an ejection event is encountered, the computing device is instructed to wait until the completion events are executed prior to actual ejection of the removable media.

Claims

1. A computer-readable medium containing instructions to be automatically executed by a computing device without the need for user intervention when the computing device is coupled to a media drive that receives said computer-readable medium, said instructions comprising:

configuring said computing device in accordance with a task disk control file contained on said computer-readable media;

launching a participating application in accordance with information in said task disk control file;

monitoring events in said media drive and said participating application until execution of said participating software application is detected to be completed or terminated; and

thereafter

saving certain data files to a predetermined location specified in said task disk control file;

deleting temporary files;

unconfiguring said computing device; and

disconnecting said computer-readable media from said media drive.

2. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 1, wherein said configuring said computing device in accordance with said task disk control file further comprises:

determining a unique identifier of said computer-readable medium;

accessing said task disk control file in accordance with said unique identifier; and

configuring said computing device by providing as least one of the following executable files;

linked library files, device drivers, path information, environmental information, and registry entries to said computing device.

3. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 1, wherein said monitoring events comprises monitoring for an application save/close completion event or monitoring for a request to disconnect said computer-readable medium.

4. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 1, wherein said participating application is adapted to be stored on removable or on non-removable storage media.

5. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 1, wherein said launching said participating application in accordance with information in said task disk control file comprises launching said participating application from said computer readable medium.

6. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 1, wherein said launching said participating application in accordance with information in said task disk control file comprises launching said participating application from said computing devices.

7. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a task list control file comprising:

a monitoring section to detect an activation event for a predetermined participating application, such that when the activation event occurs the following special instruction sections are automatically executed;

a pre-run section containing instructions to be executed by a computer-implemented device prior to launching said predetermined participating application;

an application run section containing instructions to launch said participating application and further instructions to copy or maintain certain data files at specific storage locations to be available for use during running of said participating application ; and

a clean-up section containing instructions to be executed upon closing said participating application including additional instructions to remove or save certain data files at specific storage locations prior to said closing, and

wherein said monitoring section is capable to detect a termination event for said participating application such that when the termination event occurs the cleanup section is automatically executed.

8. The task list control file of claim 7, wherein said pre-run section comprises instructions to configure registry information such that the operating system is aware of at least one of the following:

a path, environmental variables, and commands to launch said participating application.

9. A method of managing selected software for use with a computer device in accordance with special instructions contained on storage media external to or removable from the computer device, said method comprising:

activating the storage media to establish communication with the computer device;

providing the special instructions in a control file located on the storage media, the special instructions including configuration information, software launching information; and

data file storage information, wherein certain special instructions are automatically executed without user intervention including the following;

configuring the computer device in accordance with the configuration information;

launching the selected software in accordance with the software launching information;

monitoring events to determine various stages in the operation of the selected software; and

storing, saving, and/or removing data files related to the operation of the selected software in accordance with the data file storage information.

10. The method of claim 9 which includes a mode of operation wherein the selected software is stored on the storage media.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the selected software is run from the storage media.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein certain data files are copied or maintained on the storage media to be available for use during running of the selected software.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein certain data files are copied or maintained on the computer device to be available for use during running of the selected software.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein certain data files are removed from the computer device when the running of the selected software is completed.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein certain data files are saved on the computer device when the running of the selected software is completed.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein certain data files and certain configuration information are saved on the storage media when the running of the selected software is completed.

17. The method of claim 9 which includes a mode of operation wherein the selected software is stored on the computer device.

18. The method of claim 9 wherein the selected software is run from the computer device.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein certain data files are copied or maintained on the storage media to be available for use during running of the selected software.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein certain data files are copied or maintained on the computer device to be available for use during running of the selected software.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein certain data files are removed from the computer device when the running of the selected software is completed.

22. The method of claim 20 wherein certain data files are saved on the computer device when the running of the selected software is completed.

23. The method of claim 18 certain data files and certain configuration information are saved on the storage media when the running of the selected software is completed.

24. The method of claim 9 which includes providing configuration information in the control file relating to the selected software including pre-run preparations, launching, and post-run activities.

25. The method of claim 9 which includes monitoring the following events:

activating the selected software; and

terminating the operation of the selected software.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein activating the selected software includes inserting removable media into a storage drive, and terminating the operation of the selected software includes ejecting removable media from a storage drive.