Patent Publication Number: US-2007112979-A1

Title: [portable storage device with auto-executable program]

Description:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION  
      1. Field of the Invention  
      The present invention generally relates to a portable storage device, and more particularly to a portable storage device with auto-executable program, wherein when the portable storage device is connected to the host end, the control program is automatically executed and installed in the host end enabling the host end to execute the application programs, renew or open documents through operating the triggering device.  
      2. Description of Related Art  
      With the improved flash memory technology, demand for larger capacity of the memory card and the portable storage device is increasing ever since. Especially, the portable storage device has become an indispensable tool for the users in every aspect of life. The advantageous features of the portable storage device, such as small size, large capacity and fast transmission speed, have made the portable storage device as a very popular tool for transferring or backing-up files.  
      However, the above portable storage device only facilitates storage of data regardless of brand and type. The user has to operate the portable storage device in the usage status, which makes the portable storage device as a passive tool.  
      Generally speaking, when the user is using the portable storage device, the user has to be aware of some particular files or programs that have to be transferred or executed. If the user omits the file, which is needed to have a backup or to be handled, the portable storage device must be connected to the host end frequently until the job is completed.  
      Therefore, how to overcome the above defects of the conventional art is an important issue for the manufacturers in the field.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      According to an aspect of the present invention, when the portable device is connected to the host end, the control program is automatically executed and installed in the host end. Simultaneously, the control program senses signals generated by operating the triggering device and control the host end for executing the application program according to the type of the signals. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING  
       FIG. 1  is a block diagram of a portable storage device according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
       FIG. 2  is a flowchart of setting a control program according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
       FIG. 3  is a flowchart of an operation procedure according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
       FIG. 4  is a flowchart of retrieving an image according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAIL DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
      Referring to  FIG. 1 , a portable storage device  1  of the present invention comprises a memory  11 , a microcontroller  12 , a triggering device  13  and a transmission interface  14 .  
      The memory  11  comprises at least an application program block  111  and a data-storing block  112 . The application program block  111  comprises a control program in an ISO9660 format, enabling the application program block  111  to be as automatically executable data, for example, an automatically executable CD. Furthermore, the data-storing block  112  is adopted for storing data and files, and can be a FAT (file allocation table) format or a NTFS (NT file system) format. The memory  11  may be comprised of an EROM (electrically programmable read only memory), an EEROM (electrically erasable read only memory), an EPROM (erasable programmable read only memory), an EEPROM (electrically erasable programmable read only memory), a FLASH (flash memory), an AND-flash memory, an OR-flash memory, a NAND flash memory or a HDD (hard disk drive).  
      The memory  11  is electrically connected to the microcontroller  12 , and the microcontroller  12  is electrically connected to the triggering device  13 . When operating the triggering device  13 , different signal types are generated according to the triggering time period and the frequency and transmitted to the microcontroller  12 . Furthermore, the triggering device  13  may be comprised of a key switch, a micro-switch, a connective proximity switch, a touch switch, a voltage switch, a capacitor switch or mechanical switch. It should be noted that the above mentioned examples are merely used to illustrate the triggering device  13  of the present invention and is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention, therefore other equivalent switch may also be used for generating signals according to, for example, time or frequency of each triggering, and microcontroller  12  for transmitting the signal in various formats/specifications shall also be considered within the scope of the present invention.  
      Furthermore, the microcontroller  12  transmits data to a host end  2  via the transmission interface  14 . The transmission interface  14  may be wired or wireless type. The wireless signal transmission can be the Infrared, ZigBee, WiFi or the Bluetooth. The wired connection can be in the specification of IEEE1394 (Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers Standard Bus Interface), USB (Universal Serial Bus), SATA (Serial Advanced Technology Attachment), IDE (Integrated Device Electronics) or SCSI (Small Computer Standard Interface).  
      It should be noted that the wired or wireless transmission interface  14  in the above embodiment of the present invention is used as an example and is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention, therefore any equivalent transmission interface  14  capable of transmitting the signal between the microcontroller  12  and the host end  2  shall be construed within the scope of the present invention.  
      Referring to  FIG. 2 , a flowchart of setting the control program according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to  FIG. 1  as follows.  
      At step  100 , when the portable storage device  1  is electrically connected to the host end  2 , the control program is automatically executed and installed in the host end  2 .  
      At step  101 , a user sets the control program through the host end  2 .  
      At step  102 , the control program selects a corresponding signal type according to the triggering time period and frequency of the triggering device  13 .  
      At step  103 , a classification of an application program of the host end  2  is set according to the corresponding signal type.  
      At step  104 , whether or not to end the setting process is judged, if yes, the procedure proceeds to step  105 ; otherwise, the procedure returns back to step  101 .  
      At step  105 , the setting process is completed and a setting data is stored into the application program block  111  of the memory  11 .  
      When executing the above steps, the host end  2  automatically runs the control program, and the control program is installed in the host end  2  to enable the user to set up the corresponding relationship between the signal type and the application program of the host end  2 . For example, while changing the triggering time period and frequency of the triggering device  13 , the control program will select a corresponding signal type to set up the classification of the application program of the host end  2 , such as adding or reducing the classifications of the application program of the host end  2 , and the setting data can be stored in the program block  111  of the memory  11 .  
      Referring to  FIG. 3 , when the portable storage device  1  is connected to the host end  2 , an operation procedure will be described with reference to  FIG. 1  as follows.  
      At step  200 , the portable storage device  1  is connected to the host end  2 .  
      At step  201 , the host end  2  automatically runs the control program stored in the application program block  111  of the memory  11 .  
      At step  202 , the control program is installed in the host end  2  and senses a signal received by the transmission interface  14 .  
      At step  203 , whether or not the microcontroller  12  receiving an operating signal of the triggering device  13  is judged. If the microcontroller  12  receives the signal, the procedure proceeds to step  204 ; otherwise, the procedure returns to step  202 .  
      At step  204 , the microcontroller  12  transmits the signal to the host end  2  via the transmission interface  14 .  
      At step  205 , the control program installed in the host end  2  judges the type of the signal to enable the host end  2  to execute the corresponding application program, and then the procedure returns to step  202 .  
      When executing the above steps, first of all, the portable storage device  1  is electrically connected the host end  2 , and the host end  2  senses the memory  11  of the portable storage device  1  comprising the applying program block  111  which is automatically executable. For example, when the application program block  111  declares in an ISO9660 format, the host end  2  presumes the application program block  111  is in a CD format and automatically runs the control program stored in the application program block  111 . The control program stored in the application program block  111  is thus executed automatically and installed in the host end  2 . Meanwhile, the control program continuously senses whether any signals are being transmitted through the transmission interface  14 .  
      After operating the triggering device  13  to generate and transmit a signal to the microcontroller  12 , the microcontroller  12  transmits the signal to the host end  2  via the transmission interface  14 . Next, the control program receives the signal and judges the type of the signal and accordingly enables the host end  2  to execute the corresponding application program. For example, when operating the triggering device  13  for a specific frequency or a specific time period to generate a signal, the signal is transmitted to the host end  2  through the microcontroller  12  and the transmission interface  14 , and after the control program receives the signal, the host end  2  executes the application program according to the type of the signal.  
      Besides, the control program can judge the type of the signal, for instance, when operating the triggering device  13  for one time or one second, a specific file folder of the portable storage device  1  and the host end  2  will be refresh at the same time. Or when operating the triggering device  13  for three times or three seconds, the control program will retrieve an image of a display device (not shown) of the host end  2  and stores the image into the data-storing block  112  of the memory  11 .  
      Referring to  FIG. 4 , a procedure of retrieving an image will be described with reference to  FIG. 1  as follows.  
      At step  300 , when the portable storage device  1  is electrically connected to the host end  2 , the control program is automatically executed and installed in the host end  2 .  
      At step  301 , the triggering device  13  is operated for a specific frequency and transmits a signal to the microcontroller  12 .  
      At step  302 , the microcontroller  12  transmits the signal to the host end  2  via the transmission interface  14 .  
      At step  303 , the control program of the host end  2  receives the signal and judges the signal for retrieving an image.  
      At step  304 , the control program retrieves the image of the display device (not shown) of the host end  2  and converts the image into a file to save in the data-storing block  112  of the memory  11 .  
      Accordingly, the portable storage device of the present invention has the following advantages.  
      1. The portable storage device  1  can active and control the host end  2  to execute the application program, renewing the files and the data folders and retrieving the images.  
      2. When the portable storage device  1  is electrically connected to the host end  2 , the user operates the triggering device  13  to generate and transmit the signal to the control program installed in the host end  2 . Thus, no additional device is required for controlling the host end  2 .  
      3. By operating the triggering device  13  to generate the signal, the control program of the host end  2  can control the host end  2 , so that the flowchart can be simplification. At the same time, the classifications of the application program corresponding to the control program can be set by the user to upgrade the alteration and expansion.  
      While the invention has been described in conjunction with a specific best mode, it is to be understood that many alternatives, modifications, and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the foregoing description. Accordingly, it is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications, and variations in which fall within the spirit and scope of the included claims. All matters set forth herein or shown in the accompanying drawings are to be interpreted in an illustrative and non-limiting sense.