Receiving data at a client computer and performing an operation on the data at the client computer based on information in the key file

• US 7,318,088 B1
• Filed: 03/30/2001
• Issued: 01/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Western Digital Ventures Incorporated (Western Digital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Western Digital Ventures Incorporated (Western Digital Corporation)
• Inventors: Mann, David Art
• Primary Examiner(s): WINDER, PATRICE L
• Application Number:
  US09/823,725
• Time in Patent Office: 2,475 Days
• Field of Search: 709/220, 709/221, 709/228, 717175-178, 713/2
• US Class Current: 709/221
• 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: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416

Abstract

A method of receiving data at a client computer and performing an operation on the received data is disclosed. The method comprises: receiving a key file having a rule identifying the operation to be performed on the data received at the client computer; receiving the data at the client computer; and performing the operation identified by the rule in the key file on the data received at the client computer.

Claims

1. A method of receiving a transmission of data at a client computer and performing an operation on the data received at the client computer, the method comprising:

a. receiving a key file at the client computer, the key file comprising a rule identifying the operation to be performed on the data received at the client computer;

b. receiving the data at the client computer when a processing load of the client computer is sufficiently low that the transmission will not affect the client computer'"'"'s processing; and

c. performing the operation identified by the rule in the key file on the data received at the client computer, wherein;

the data is an executable file;

the operation comprises storing the executable file in a startup folder of the client computer; and

any files in a startup folder of a respective one client computer of the at least one client computer are run when the respective client computer starts up.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein running the executable file occurs a plurality of times upon subsequent boot-ups of the client computer.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying a message at the client computer on receipt of the executable file.

4. A method of transmitting data to at least one client computer, the method comprising:

a. providing data to be transmitted to the at least one client computer;

b. generating a key file comprising a rule identifying an operation to be performed on the data;

c. transmitting the key file to the at least one client computer; and

d. transmitting the data to the at least one client computer when a processing load of the client computer is sufficiently low that the transmitting will not affect the client computer'"'"'s processing, wherein;

the data is an executable file;

the operation comprises storing the executable file in a startup folder of the at least one client computer; and

any files in a startup folder of a respective one client computer of the at least one client computer are run when the respective client computer starts up.