Host device equipped with means for starting a process in response to detecting insertion of a storage media

• US 6,249,863 B1
• Filed: 05/03/1999
• Issued: 06/19/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: TV Interactive Data Corporation
• Original Assignee: TV Interactive Data Corporation
• Inventors: Stern, Donald S., Redford, Peter M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Heckler, Thomas M.
• Application Number:
  US09/304,623
• Time in Patent Office: 778 Days
• Field of Search: 713/1, 713/2, 434/118, 434/309.R, 434/308
• US Class Current: 713/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0605 by facilitating the interaction with a user or administrator
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0658 Controller construction arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0677 Optical disk device, e.g. CD-ROM, DVD
• 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: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0242 Determining effectiveness of advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/062 Combinations of audio and printed presentations, e.g. magnetically striped cards, talking books, magnetic tapes with printed texts thereon
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/065 Combinations of audio and video presentations, e.g. videotapes, videodiscs, television systems
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 19/02 Control of operating function, e.g. switching from recording to reproducing
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/213 Read-only discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2545 CDs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/41 Flat as opposed to hierarchical combination, e.g. library of tapes or discs, CD changer, or groups of record carriers that together store one title
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/002 Programmed access in sequence to a plurality of record carriers or indexed parts, e.g. tracks, thereof, e.g. for editing; transfer of record carriers from magazine G11B15/68, G11B17/10; G11B17/22
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/102 Programmed access in sequence to addressed parts of tracks of operating record carriers access by moving the head G11B3/08, G11B5/54, G11B7/085, G11B21/022; by moving the record carrier G11B15/005, G11B17/005, by driving of both record carrier and head G11B15/1816
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/34 Indicating arrangements indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00127 Connection or combination of a still picture apparatus with another apparatus, e.g. for storage, processing or transmission of still picture signals or of information associated with a still picture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2166 for mass storage, e.g. in document filing systems information retrieval G06F16/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 : End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 : Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

In accordance with this invention, a remote control for an interactive media can include a printed publication and/or a storage media and/or a data button. One embodiment of a remote control includes a printed publication (such as a book, magazine or a catalog) and one or more buttons physically attached to the printed publication to allow users to remotely control use of associated electronic content by a host device. Another embodiment of a remote control has a housing capable of removably holding a storage media encoded with electronic content associated with a button of the remote control. Yet another embodiment of a remote control has at least one data button which permits the user to select the data to be displayed by the host device. An autostart driver in the host device detects insertion of a storage media into a peripheral and automatically starts an application. The application interprets button codes transmitted by the remote control and displays the results or initiates other events. An application development system allows an author to quickly create interactive media applications.

Claims

1. A host device comprising:

a peripheral having an output lead;

means for automatically loading an initialization file;

means for detecting insertion of a storage media into said peripheral, said means for detecting being operatively coupled to said output lead of said peripheral and to said means for automatically loading, wherein said means for detecting detects each insertion after automatic loading of said initialization file by said means for automatically loading;

means for checking said storage media for a file other than said initialization file, said file other than said initialization file having a predetermined name that is compatible with said initialization file, said file other than said initialization file containing a sequence of instructions to be executed to start up a process, said means for checking being operatively coupled to said means for detecting, wherein said means for checking checks for said file in response to each detection by said means for detecting; and

means for starting up said process, said means for starting up being operatively coupled to said means for checking, wherein said means for starting up starts a new process in response to each time said means for checking finds a file having said predetermined name.

2. The host device of claim 1, wherein said sequence of instructions comprises instructions for starting said process either from said inserted storage media or from a remote server'"'"'s storage media.

3. The host device of claim 1, wherein said sequence of instructions comprises instructions for accessing a specified location on said inserted storage media.

4. The host device of claim 1, wherein said sequence of instructions comprises instructions for retrieving and displaying certain selections contained at a location on said inserted storage media.

5. The host device of claim 1, wherein said sequence of instructions comprises instructions for executing certain instructions located in either of a host device memory or on said inserted storage media.

6. The host device of claim 1, wherein said initialization file starts up or spawns a new process each time said means for checking finds a file having said predetermined name, which new process executes instructions located on said inserted storage media.

7. The host device of claim 1, wherein sequence of instructions comprises instructions for executing an application for displaying one or more selections encoded on said inserted storage media.

8. The host device of claim 7, wherein said one or more selections encoded on said inserted storage media comprise any of graphics files, text files, sound files, video files, and executable files.

9. A host device comprising:

a peripheral having an output lead;

means for detecting insertion of a storage media into said peripheral, said means for detecting being operatively coupled to said output lead of said peripheral;

first means for checking for a file of a first predetermined name, said first means for checking being operatively coupled to said means for detecting, said first means for checking for said file of said first predetermined name on detection of a storage media in said peripheral by said means for detecting;

second means for checking for a file of a second predetermined name, said second means for checking being operatively coupled to said means for detecting, said second means for checking checking for said file of said second predetermined name; and

means for starting up a process from said file of said second predetermined name, said means for starting up being operatively coupled to said second means for checking, said means for starting up containing a sequence of instructions to be executed to start up said process in response to said second means for checking finding said file of said second predetermined name.

10. The host device of claim 9, wherein said sequence of instructions comprise structions for starting said process either from said inserted storage media or from a remote server'"'"'s storage media.

11. The host device of claim 9, wherein said sequence of instructions comprises instructions for accessing a specified location on said inserted storage media.

12. The host device of claim 9, wherein said sequence of instructions comprises in ructions for retrieving and displaying certain selections contained at a location on said inserted storage media.

13. The host device of claim 9, wherein said sequence of instructions comprises instructions for executing certain instructions located in either of a host device memory or on said inserted storage media.

14. The host device of claim 9, wherein said initialization file starts up or spawns a new process each time said means for checking finds a file having said predetermined name, which new process executes instructions located on said inserted storage media.

15. The host device of claim 9, wherein sequence of instructions comprises instructions for executing an application for displaying one or more selections encoded on said inserted storage media.

16. The host device of claim 15, wherein said one or more selections encoded on said inserted storage media comprise any of graphics files, exit files, sound files, video files, and executable files.

17. A host device comprising:

a peripheral;

first logic capable of automatically loading an initialization file;

second logic capable of detecting insertion of a storage media into said peripheral, said second logic being operatively coupled to said peripheral and to said first logic, wherein said second logic detects each insertion after automatic loading of said initialization file by said first logic;

third logic capable of checking for a file other than said initialization file, said file other than said initialization file having a predetermined name that is compatible with said initialization file, said file other than said initialization file containing a sequence of instructions to be executed to start up a process, said third logic being operatively coupled to said second logic, wherein said third logic checks for said file in response to each detection by said second logic; and

fourth logic capable of starting up a process in said host device, said fourth logic being operatively coupled to said third logic, wherein said fourth logic starts a new process in response to each time said third logic finds a file having said predetermined name.

18. The host device of claim 17, wherein said sequence of instructions comprises instructions for starting said process either from said inserted storage media or from a remote server'"'"'s storage media.

19. The host device of claim 17, wherein said sequence of instructions comprises instructions for accessing a specified location on said inserted storage media.

20. The host device of claim 17, wherein said sequence of instructions comprises instructions for retrieving and displaying certain selections contained at a location on said inserted storage media.

21. The host device of claim 17, wherein said sequence of instructions comprises in ctions for executing certain instructions located in either of a host device memory or on said inserted storage media.

22. The host device of claim 17, wherein said initialization file starts up or spawns a new process each time said means for checking finds a file having said predetermined name, which new process executes instructions located on said inserted storage media.

23. The host device of claim 17, wherein sequence of instructions comprises instructions for executing an application for displaying one or more selections encoded on said inserted storage media.

24. The host device of claim 23, wherein said one or more selections encoded on sai serted storage media comprise any of graphics files, text files, sound files, video files, and executable files.