Method and apparatus for gryphing a data storage medium

• US 8,286,159 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2006
• Issued: 10/09/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Alan Joshua Shapiro
• Original Assignee: Alan Joshua Shapiro
• Inventors: Shapiro, Alan Joshua
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, TUAN A
• Application Number:
  US11/428,374
• Publication Number:
  US 20070150890A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,293 Days
• Field of Search: 717173-178, 709/200, 709/202, 709223-225, 705/1, 705/14, 705/26, 707/1, 707/204, 707/10, 707/104.1, 713/1, 713/100
• US Class Current: 717/177
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/00 Information retrieval; Database structures therefor; File system structures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/13 File access structures, e.g. distributed indices arrangements of input from, or output to, record carriers G06F3/06
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/162 Delete operations erasing in storage systems G06F3/0652
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/164 File meta data generation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/62 Uninstallation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/63 Image based installation; Cloning; Build to order
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/123 Shopping for digital content
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99944 Object-oriented database structure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99956 File allocation

Abstract

An apparatus and method for obtaining a storage medium with a deeply customizable set of installed content. Soft assets (e.g., programs, songs, videos, etc.) that form the content are selected from among a much larger set of preinstalled soft assets previously stored on storage media, such as disk drives. In some embodiments, based on a user'"'"'s selections, the non-selected assets are permanently erased from a storage medium, while the remaining assets are available as installed (wherein substantially no further processing is required to install them). In some embodiments, a new device uses the storage medium to provide its user with a fully functional device without the need to separately install the soft assets from a plurality of sources (e.g., from program-distribution CDROMS and the like). Some embodiments include the storage medium having the soft assets installed, and including a program that elicits selections from a user and erases non-selected assets.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing a storage medium having a pre-written plurality of installed soft assets that include a plurality of installed programs and an operating system, the storage medium also having directory data having entries indicative of locations of the soft assets and registry data having entries used by the operating system to properly execute each of the plurality of installed programs;

connecting the storage medium having the pre-written plurality of installed soft assets to an end-user information-processing device, wherein the end-user information-processing device is for use by an end user;

receiving selection indications specific to the end user that distinguish a customized first subset of the installed soft assets to be kept from a second subset of the installed soft assets not to be kept; and

automatically subtracting the second subset of the installed soft assets from the storage medium before an initial availability of the device to the end user such that after the second subset is subtracted and after the storage medium is connected to the device, the device includes the first subset of installed soft assets substantially ready to use.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving of selection indications includes eliciting and receiving the selection indications from the end user, and the subtracting of the second subset is guided by the selection indications from the end user.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising reporting, to a central facility, data that indicate a status of the subtracting operation.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the soft assets are digital assets and the subtracting includes erasing installed digital assets of the second subset and leaving the user-selected plurality of installed digital assets of the first subset.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising charging an account based on the reported data.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the providing of the storage medium includes forming a panoplex, wherein the forming of the panoplex includes installing the plurality of soft assets and validating that each of the plurality of soft assets do not conflict with others of the plurality of soft assets, and writing the panoplex onto the storage medium.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the connecting of the storage medium to the end-user information-processing device is performed after the automatically subtracting of the second subset such that the connecting of the storage medium is performed when only the first subset of the pre-written plurality of installed soft assets remains on the storage medium.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the connecting of the storage medium to the end-user information-processing device is performed before the automatically subtracting of the second subset such that the connecting of the storage medium is performed when both the first subset and the second subset of the pre-written plurality of installed soft assets are on the storage medium.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the subtracting includes:

automatically obtaining the directory data and the registry data;

automatically removing the directory entries of the second set of soft assets from the directory data to form modified directory data;

automatically removing the registry entries of installed programs in the second set of soft assets from the registry data to form modified registry data; and

storing the modified directory data and the modified registry data to the storage medium.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the providing of the storage medium having the pre-written plurality of installed soft assets further comprises:

a) collecting a plurality of supplied soft assets,

b) installing the collected plurality of soft assets and creating a data structure on a master storage medium such that the data structure contains the installed soft assets engaged and intertwined with an operating system such that the soft assets are functional with the operating system, and

c) storing a copy of the data structure onto the storage medium; and

wherein the method further comprises;

d) delivering the device to the specific end user.

11. A method comprising:

mass-customizing a plurality of individual devices by;

loading all of the plurality of individual devices with a common set of installed soft assets that include a plurality of installed programs and an operating system, each one of the plurality of individual devices also having directory data having entries indicative of locations of the soft assets and registry data having entries used by the operating system to properly execute each of the plurality of installed programs, and

after loading all of the plurality of devices with the common set of soft assets, then transforming differing subsets of the installed soft assets from an installed state into an erased state on each one of the plurality of individual devices.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the mass-customization is performed in each of a plurality of manufacturing facilities to customize to a user'"'"'s unique preference for each of a plurality of users, and performing the transformations of differing subsets based on user-specific selections.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the mass-customization is performed before the devices are shipped to a purchaser of the devices.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the mass-customization is performed in a plurality of manufacturing facilities and the devices are shipped to a purchaser of the devices.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the devices are storage media that are each later attached to electronics of a personal computer configured to in order to provide the personal computer its intended function.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the devices are storage media that are each later attached to electronics of a respective percepter in order to provide the respective percepter its intended function.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising installing a plurality of soft assets and validating that each of the plurality of soft assets do not conflict with others of the plurality of soft assets in order to form a panoplex, and writing the panoplex onto the devices, wherein the common set of soft assets form the panoplex.

18. The method of claim 11,

wherein the loading of all of the plurality of devices with the common set of soft assets further comprises:

a) collecting a plurality of supplied digital assets;

b) installing the collected plurality of digital assets and creating a data structure on a master storage medium such that the data structure contains the installed digital assets;

c) intertwining the installed digital assets with an operating system such that the installed digital assets are functional with the operating system;

d) storing a copy of the data structure onto each one of the plurality of individual storage devices; and

wherein the transforming differing subsets of the installed soft assets further comprises;

e) selecting one of the individual storage devices that contain the data structure;

f) subsequent to the storing of the copy of the data structure onto each one of a plurality of individual storage devices, obtaining selection data that distinguish the selected set of the installed digital assets, which are to be retained, from others of the installed digital assets, which are not to be retained;

g) removing from the selected individual storage device the others of the installed digital assets that are not to be retained based on the selection data such that the selected set of the installed digital assets that are to be retained are in the device substantially ready-to-use and functional; and

wherein the method further comprises;

h) delivering the selected storage device to the specific end-user.

19. A computer-readable medium having a plurality of soft assets in an installed state, wherein the soft assets include a plurality of installed programs and an operating system, the computer-readable medium also having directory data having entries indicative of locations of the assets and registry data having entries used by the operating system to properly execute each of the plurality of installed programs and a computer program stored thereon for execution on a computer, to cause the computer to execute a method comprising transforming the state of a subset of the soft assets to an uninstalled state including removing entries from the registry data otherwise usable by the operating system to properly execute each of a subset of the plurality of installed programs.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the method further comprises receiving selection data indicative of a plurality of soft assets that is selected at one time to be uninstalled by manufacturing personnel based on a selection designated by a purchase order.

21. The computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the storage medium includes the directory data in a structure stored on the storage medium, and the transforming of the state of a subset of the soft assets to the uninstalled state includes modifying the directory data.

22. The computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the storage medium includes the registry data in a structure stored on the storage medium, and the transforming of the state of a subset of the soft assets to the uninstalled state includes modifying the registry data.

23. The computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the method further comprises presenting to a user a selection of the installed assets and related pricing information;

and eliciting and receiving selection indications from the user, wherein the transforming the state of the subset of the soft assets to an uninstalled state is based at least in part on the selection indications.

24. The computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the method further comprises reporting, to a central facility, data that indicate a status of the transforming the state of the subset of the soft assets to an uninstalled state.

25. The computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the collectively transforming of the state of a subset of the soft assets to an uninstalled state includes using a plurality of program threads executing substantially concurrently.

26. A new article of manufacture comprising an information-processing appliance having a selected set of installed soft assets available in a substantially ready-to-use state and residual indicia of non-selected assets in an erased state, wherein the information-processing appliance includes an operating system, and also having directory data having entries indicative of locations of the installed assets and registry data having entries that are used by the operating system to properly execute each of the plurality of installed assets and that include registry metadata that enables functionality of the selected set of the installed soft assets with the operating system;

wherein the operating software method implementing the information-processing appliance further comprises reporting, to a central facility, data that indicate a status of the transforming the state of the subset of the soft assets to an uninstalled state.

27. A method for distributing a selected set of installed digital assets to a specific end-user comprising:

a) collecting a plurality of supplied digital assets;

b) installing the collected plurality of digital assets and creating a data structure on a master storage medium such that the data structure contains the installed digital assets;

c) intertwining the installed digital assets with an operating system such that the installed digital assets are functional with the operating system;

d) storing a copy of the data structure onto each one of a plurality of individual storage devices;

e) selecting one of the individual storage devices that contain the data structure subsequent to the storing of the copy of the data structure onto each one of a plurality of individual storage devices;

f) obtaining selection data that distinguish the selected set of the installed digital assets, which are to be retained, from others of the installed digital assets, which are not to be retained;

g) removing from the selected individual storage device the others of the installed digital assets that are not to be retained based on the selection data such that the selected set of the installed digital assets that are to be retained are in the device substantially ready-to-use and functional; and

h) delivering the selected storage device to the specific end-user.