Systems and methods for executable file identity capture during indirect application launch

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9468853-B2
Application number	US-201414182647-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 18, 2014
Priority date	Jan 15, 2014
Publication date	Oct 18, 2016
Grant date	Oct 18, 2016

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed herein for locally capturing the identity of the actual executable file required to set system configuration upon indirect launching of a computer game or other type of indirectly-launched file. Such a captured identity of an executable file may be added to a locally and dynamically created and updated local white list which then may be used to determine when to set the desired game mode configuration upon indirect launching of a game so that the desired game mode configuration may remain active for as long as the game is open and running, or for as long as the game is in-focus within an active window.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An information handling system, comprising:
system hardware components;
persistent storage storing configuration settings and actions for operating the system hardware components and that is associated with at least one given indirectly launched executable file; and
at least one processing device separate from the system hardware components and coupled to the persistent storage and the system hardware components, the processing device being configured to:
indirectly launch and run the at least one given executable file,
capture file identity information for the given executable file while it is launched and running, the file identity information comprising an application name or filename of the given executable file, and
save the captured file identity information of the given indirectly launched file to a dynamic list of file identity information stored on the persistent storage while the given executable file is launched and running, the dynamic list of file identity information including a list of application names or filenames;
implement different sets of system configuration settings and actions to operate the system hardware components, the different system configuration settings and actions including at least a first set of one or more configuration settings and actions, and a second set of one or more different configuration settings and actions associated with the given indirectly launched executable file that are saved on the persistent storage,
monitor for and detect a current launching of the given indirectly launched executable file while operating the system hardware components with the first set of configuration settings and actions on the information handling system, and
then respond to the currently detected indirect launching of the given executable file by:
comparing the identity of the given currently launched executable file with the dynamic file identity list saved on the persistent storage to determine whether or not to associate the currently launched executable file with corresponding specific user-defined configuration settings and actions stored on the persistent storage for the given currently launched executable file, and
then switching from the first set of configuration settings and actions to the second set of different configuration settings and actions associated with the given indirectly launched executable file to operate the system hardware components on the information handling system based on the comparison, and
maintain the specific user-defined configuration settings and actions the entire time that the given currently launched executable file is active;

where the first and second different sets of system configuration settings and actions comprise at least one of specific keyboard lighting settings, mouse lighting settings, audio output settings, or power management settings to operate the system hardware components.

2. The system of claim 1 , where the at least one processing device is further configured to indirectly launch the at least one given executable file using an indirect launcher that is a separate executable file from the given executable file.

3. The system of claim 1 , where the at least one processing device is further configured to:
receive the specific configuration settings and actions from an information handling system user for the given indirectly launched executable file while the executable file is running,
associate the received specific user-defined configuration settings and actions with the given indirectly launched executable file while the executable file is running; and
save the specific user-defined configuration settings and actions associated with the given indirectly launched executable file to the persistent storage for future access or retrieval after the given indirectly launched executable file is closed.

4. The system of claim 1 , where the at least one processing device is further configured to:
monitor for and detect the closing of the given indirectly launched executable file while implementing the second set of configuration settings to operate the system hardware and actions on the information handling system; and
then respond to the currently detected indirect launching of the given executable file by switching from the second set of configuration settings and actions to the first set of configuration settings and actions to operate the system hardware on the information handling system.

5. The system of claim 1 , where the at least one processing device is further configured to:
monitor for and detect when the given indirectly launched executable file is in active focus within a window of a user interface presented by the processing device to the user; and
switch from implementation of the first set of configuration settings to the second set of different configuration settings and actions to operate the system hardware on the information handling system only when the given indirectly launched executable file is in active focus within a window of a user interface; and
switch back from the second set of configuration settings and actions to the first set of configuration settings and actions to operate the system hardware whenever the given indirectly launched executable file is not in active focus within the window of a user interface.

6. The system of claim 3 , where the processing device is further configured to respond to user selection of the given executable file by:
indirectly launching the given user-selected executable file;
automatically requesting the user to enter a command to initiate capture of file identity information for the given executable file while the given user-selected executable file is launched and running; and
responding to user entry of the requested command by capturing and saving the file identity information of the given executable game file to the dynamic list.

7. A method of managing file identity information for an information handling system comprising system hardware components, the method comprising using at least one processing device to:
indirectly launch and run at least one given executable file;
capture file identity information for the given executable file while it is launched and running, the file identity information comprising an application name or filename of the given executable file;
save the captured file identity information of the given indirectly launched file to a dynamic list of file identity information stored on the persistent storage while the given executable file is launched and running, the dynamic list of file identity information including a list of application names or filenames;
implement different sets of system configuration settings and actions to operate the system hardware components, the different system configuration settings and actions including at least a first set of one or more configuration settings and actions, and a second set of one or more different configuration settings and actions associated with the given indirectly launched executable file that are saved on the persistent storage,
monitor for and detect a current launching of the given indirectly launched executable file while operating the system hardware components with the first set of configuration settings and actions on the information handling system, and
then respond to the currently detected indirect launching of the given executable file by:
comparing the identity of the given currently launched executable file with the dynamic file identity list saved on the persistent storage to determine whether or not to associate the currently launched executable file with corresponding specific user-defined configuration settings and actions stored on the persistent storage for the given currently launc

Assignees

• Liendo Carlos
• Sierra Danae
• Brito Alvarez Amaury
• Galiano Alexander
• Dell Products Lp

Inventors

• Liendo Carlos
• Sierra Danae
• Brito Alvarez Amaury
• Galiano Alexander

Classifications

• A63F13/77 Primary

  involving data related to game devices or game servers, e.g. configuration data, software version or amount of memory · CPC title

• A63F2300/209

  characterized by low level software layer, relating to hardware management, e.g. Operating System, Application Programming Interface · CPC title

• A63F13/79

  involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories · CPC title

• A63F13/48

  Starting a game, e.g. activating a game device or waiting for other players to join a multiplayer session · CPC title