Method and apparatus for executing software applications

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9509969-B2
Application number	US-201514615252-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 5, 2015
Priority date	Feb 23, 2005
Publication date	Nov 29, 2016
Grant date	Nov 29, 2016

Abstract

Consumer electronic devices, such as e.g. high-definition movie players for removable storage media such as optical discs, may provide possibilities for advanced interactivity for the user, implemented as software applications. A question arising generally with such software applications is what the life cycle of such an application is, and who may control it. The invention provides a method for executing software applications within a playback device for audio-video data, wherein data from a first removable storage medium are read for a software application to be executed within said playback device, and the data comprise an indication defining a termination condition for the application. Based on said termination code and depending on how the medium holding the application is ejected, the application is terminated or may survive.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A device for determining the lifetime of a software application associated with audio-video (“AV”) data, the AV data comprising a plurality of titles, the device comprising
a processor configured to detect selection of a first title read from a first storage medium;
a processor configured to detect on the first storage medium a first and second application associated with the first title, and a first indication relating to the first application, and a second indication relating to the second application, wherein the first and second applications are distinct;
a processor configured to play back the first title and executing the first and second applications;
a processor configured to, upon termination of the first title, terminate the first application if the first indication has a first value, and otherwise to continue the first application, and to terminate the second application and if the second indication has a first value, and otherwise continuing the second application;
a processor configured to, upon ejection of the first storage medium, terminate the first application if the first indication has a certain value different from the first value and indicating a disc bound application, and otherwise to continue the first application, and to terminate the second application if the second indication has the certain value different from the first value and indicating a disc bound application, and otherwise

to continue the second application;
a processor configured to detect insertion of a second storage medium;
a processor configured to retrieve data from the second storage medium, the data comprising a third indication and AV data of a second title, the third indication being distinct from the second indication; and
a processor configured to continue the first application if the third indication retrieved from the second storage medium has a certain value, and to otherwise terminate the first application, wherein the AV data of the second title are played back without the first application being executed, and to continue the second application if the third indication retrieved from the second storage medium has a certain value, and otherwise to terminate the second application, wherein the AV data of the second title are played back without the second application being executed.

2. Storage medium that has audio-video (“AV”) data including a title, which is recorded on the storage medium, comprising;
an application being a software application relating to the title; and
an indication associated with the application,

wherein a life cycle of the application is determined in use of the storage medium in an apparatus by executing:
detecting selection of a first title read from the storage medium;
detecting on the storage medium a first and second application associated with the first title, and a first indication relating to the first application, and a second indication relating to the second application, wherein the first and second applications are distinct;
playing back the first title and executing the first and second applications;
upon termination of the first title, terminating the first application if the first indication has a first value, and otherwise continuing the first application, and terminating the second application and if the second indication has a first value, and otherwise continuing the second application;
upon ejection of the storage medium, terminating the first application if the first indication has a certain value different from the first value and indicating a disc bound application, and otherwise continuing the first application, and terminating the second application if the second indication has the certain value different from the first value and indicating a disc bound application, and otherwise continuing the second application;
detecting insertion of a second storage medium;
retrieving data from the second storage medium, the data comprising a third indication and AV data of a second title, the third indication being distinct from the second indication; and
continuing the first application if the third indication retrieved from the second storage medium has a certain value, and otherwise terminating the first application, wherein the AV data of the second title are played back without the first application being executed, and continuing the second application if the third indication retrieved from the second storage medium has a certain value, and otherwise terminating the second application, wherein the AV data of the second title are played back without the second application being executed.

Assignees

• Thomson Licensing

Inventors

• Gandolph Dirk
• Herpel Carsten
• Hoerentrup Jobst
• Janssen Uwe
• Ostermann Ralf
• Peters Hartmut
• Schewzow Andrej
• Winter Marco

Classifications

• G11B27/105

  of operating discs · CPC title

• G11B2220/2537

  Optical discs · CPC title

• G06F9/445 Primary

  Program loading or initiating (bootstrapping G06F9/4401; security arrangements for program loading or initiating G06F21/57) · CPC title

• H04N9/79 Primary

  Processing of colour television signals in connection with recording · CPC title