Usb autorun device

Abstract

A portable, application-specific USB autorun device, following connection to a computer terminal, automatically initialises or presents itself as a known type of device and then automatically sends to the terminal a sequence of data complying with a standard protocol, that sequence of data automatically causing content to be accessed or a task to be initiated. The device (i) includes a standardised USB module that includes a USB microcontroller, the standardised module being designed to be attached to or embedded in multiple types of different, application specific packages but (ii) excludes mass memory storage for applications or end-user data.

1 . A portable USB autorun device operable to communicate with a computer terminal, the device including a USB microcontroller; and in which the autorun device is detachable from a surrounding support, in which the thickness of at least some sections of the perimeter of the device is substantially the same as the thickness of adjacent portions of the surrounding support. 
     
     
         2 . The portable USB autorun device of  claim 1  in which the device is die-cut from the surrounding support. 
     
     
         3 . The portable USB autorun device of  claim 1  in which the sections of the perimeter of the device exclude a USB interface plug portion of the device. 
     
     
         4 . The portable USB autorun device of  claim 1 , in which the device include portions made of paper, card or plastic. 
     
     
         5 . The portable USB autorun device of  claim 4 , in which the surrounding support comprises paper, card or plastic. 
     
     
         6 . The portable USB autorun device of  claim 5  in which the device is printed with graphics. 
     
     
         7 . The portable USB autorun device of  claim 5  in which the surrounding support is printed with graphics. 
     
     
         8 . The portable USB autorun device of  claim 1  which is operable to cause the computer terminal to auto-connect to a web site. 
     
     
         9 . The portable USB autorun device of  claim 1  which is operable to cause the computer terminal to auto-connect to a web site and open a specific page in that web site. 
     
     
         10 . The portable USB autorun device of  claim 1  which initialises or presents itself as a HID keyboard and then sends to the terminal a first predefined sequence of keycodes automatically without manual interaction; the keycodes complying with HID keyboard standard protocol, and in which the HID keycode sequence alone automates the direct access to remotely stored content, and/or or the initiation of a main task or other process performed by the terminal. 
     
     
         11 . The portable USB autorun device of  claim 1  which, following connection to a computer terminal, automatically initialises or presents itself as a known type of device and then automatically sends to the terminal a sequence of data, the data complying with a standard protocol, that sequence of data automatically causing content to be accessed or a task to be initiated;
 wherein the device (i) includes a standardised USB module that includes a USB microcontroller, the standardised module being designed to be attached to or embedded in multiple types of different, application specific packages but (ii) excludes mass memory storage for software applications or end-user data and wherein the device, following connection to the terminal, initialises or presents itself as a HID keyboard and then sends to the terminal a first predefined sequence of keycodes automatically without manual interaction; the keycodes complying with the human interface device (HID) keyboard standard protocol, and in which the HID keycode sequence alone automates the direct access to remotely stored content, and/or or the initiation of a main task or other process performed by the terminal. 
 
     
     
         12 . The portable USB autorun device of  claim 11 , in which the USB autorun module is a smart card USB Integrated Circuit Card module. 
     
     
         13 . The portable USB autorun device of  claim 11 , which (a) is operable as an application-specific USB autorun device because it is designed for solely a single application and (b) includes less than 64 MB memory. 
     
     
         14 . The portable USB autorun device of  claim 11 , in which the data automatically sent from the device to the terminal causes a URL to be sent by that terminal to open a specific website address and in which a unique device or user ID and password (or passcode) is appended to the URL and passed as parameters to a web server, so that the device and/or user can be identified. 
     
     
         15 . The portable USB autorun device of  claim 11 , which is specific to the application of accessing a user customised or personalised website, the device including a unique ID that acts as a permanent and portable cookie; so that, when the USB autorun device is connected to the terminal, it autoruns and opens a URL to user-customised or personalised pages on that website. 
     
     
         16 . The portable USB autorun device of  claim 11 , which is specific to the application of smart product tags, in which the device is adapted to be temporarily attached to a product and, when connected to the terminal, autoruns and opens a URL to a web site with information on the product. 
     
     
         17 . The portable USB autorun device of  claim 11 , which is specific to the application of loyalty cards, in which the device autoruns and open the URL of a retailer's website or online store to enable the user to check, redeem or collect loyalty points. 
     
     
         18 . The portable USB autorun device of  claim 11 , which is specific to the application of credit cards, in which the device autoruns and acts as a credit card. 
     
     
         19 . The portable USB autorun device of  claim 11 , which is specific to the application of membership cards, in which the device autoruns and acts as a membership card.