Patents Portfolio
U.S. Patent: 7,805,720
Patent Title
Autorun for integrated circuit memory component
Meta Information
Issued Date: September 28, 2010
Inventor: William Ho Chang et al
External Links: UPSTO, Google Patents
Technical Fields
Abstract
Autorun functionality is incorporated into an integrated circuit memory device such as any USB peripheral, which has a memory component interfaced to a USB microcontroller. This provides autorun of one or more executables or application installers from a memory component with a USB interface without an intermediate hardware-based autorun feature. USB peripheral devices internally include a USB microcontroller that performs the functionality associated with identifying the device to a host computing device, such as a personal computer. Autorun firmware is embedded into the USB microcontroller. The autorun firmware enables autorun of an installable or executable application stored on the memory component of the USB device. The firmware acts as bridge component translating all commands and interactions between a host PC and the memory component.
Sample Claim
1. An integrated circuit flash memory device connectable by a user to a host computing device, the integrated circuit flash memory device for enabling said user to run or execute at the host computing device a protected software or data without providing said user means to copy the protected software or data stored in the integrated circuit flash memory device, the integrated circuit flash memory device comprising:
a controller for controlling interaction between the integrated circuit flash drive memory device and the host computing device;
an application launcher software stored on the integrated circuit memory device and executable on the host computing device upon activation of the integrated circuit memory device with the host computing device;
a memory component that includes a protected memory component storing at least part of a protected software or data that is installable or executable on the host computing device by said user and
the protected software or data stored in the protected memory component cannot be viewed or accessed by said user;
the application launcher software stored on the integrated circuit memory device including
means to run automatically on the host computing device upon activation of the integrated circuit memory device with the host computing device,
means to access, by the application launcher software, protected software or data from the protected memory component of the integrated circuit flash memory device in dependence of a successful authentication of the application launcher software that run automatically on the host computing device upon activation of the integrated circuit memory device with the host computing device, and
means to install, execute or run, by the application launcher software, on the host computing device, the protected software or data accessed from the protected memory component of the integrated circuit flash memory device;
whereby the flash memory device enables said user to operate, run or execute protected software or data on the host computing device from the protected memory component without enabling said user means to access, view or copy the protected software or data from the protected memory component of the integrated circuit flash memory device.