# US 6,829,705 B2 · System information display method and apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 6,829,705 B2 - Document ID: US6829705B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 09/796,504 - Filed: 2001-02-28 - Published: 2002-08-29 - Granted: 2004-12-07 - Earliest claimed: 2001-02-28 - Assignees: MPC Computers, LLC - Inventors: R. Doug Smith - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US6829705B2 ## CPC - G06F 9/4401: Bootstrapping (security arrangements therefor G06F21/57) - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract Embodiments of the present invention include a system and method of displaying data about a computer system on the computer system. Embodiments of the invention automatically start a graphical user interface if there are files to be displayed. Embodiments may also include a removable storage media containing instructions to implement system and method embodiments. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of displaying data about a computer system on the computer system comprising the acts of: initiating a boot sequence of the computer system; reading a key and initiating execution of a program that accesses data files for display, the key being read from a system information area; if data files containing data to be displayed on the computer system are in predetermined locations in the computer system, then continuing execution of the program that accesses the data files for display by: opening a graphical user interface (GUI), associating the data files to be displayed with the GUI, and displaying the data about the computer system; and if no data files are in predetermined locations in the computer system, then removing the key from the system information area during the boot sequence. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the act of reading the key from the system information area includes reading the key from the Registry for the computer system. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the act of determining if data files are in predetermined locations includes the act of reading a hypertext markup language file identifier. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the act of determining if data files are in predetermined locations includes the act of reading a text file identifier. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the act of determining if data files are in predetermined locations includes determining if data files are in a subdirectory of an operating system root directory. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the act of continuing execution of the program that accesses the data files for display includes placing an execution icon on a desktop of the computer system. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the act of continuing execution of the program that accesses the data files for the display includes placing an execution icon in a Start Menu of the computer system. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the act of continuing execution of the program that accesses the data files for display includes tracking a number of items the program is initiated after a boot sequence. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8 wherein tracking the number of times the program is initiated after a boot sequence includes maintaining a variable in the key that is decremented each time the program is initiated after a boot sequence, and when the variable reaches a predetermined level, providing an interface to stop further automatic executions of the program following a boot sequence. ### Claim 10 A method of conveying information to a computer system user comprising: automatically executing a program upon startup of the computer system, the program enabling the display of computer system information; and displaying data about the computer system from data files stored on the computer system; wherein the displayed data corresponds to installed computer system components, and at least a portion of the data is written to the computer system during the manufacturing process by the computer system original equipment manufacturer; wherein the automatically executing program is configurable to be installed on any variety of a model of a computer system and display the appropriate data for the particular variety, and the automatically executing program is configurable to remove itself from the system if no data is available for display. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10 wherein the displayed data corresponding to installed computer components includes data corresponding to installed hardware components. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10 wherein the displayed data corresponding to installed computer components includes data corresponding to installed software components. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10 further comprising displaying data directed to circumstances of a user ordering the computer system. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13 wherein displaying data directed to the circumstances of the user includes displaying data in multiple languages. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13 wherein displaying data directed to the circumstances of the user includes displaying data requested for presentation to the user by the organization by whom the user is employed or sponsored. ### Claim 16 A method of manufacturing a computer system enabled to display information about the computer system comprising the acts of: loading data files into a subdirectory of an operating system root directory of the computer system, wherein the data files provide information about components installed in the computer system; loading an executable file operable to access and display the data files into a subdirectory of an operating system root directory of the computer system; and loading a key into a system information area of the computer system, the key operable to call for execution of the executable file; wherein the executable file is executed upon startup of the computer system a selectable number of times, the number of times being included in the key that calls for execution. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16 wherein loading the data files includes loading data files providing information about hardware components installed in the computer system. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16 wherein loading the data files includes loading data files providing information about software components installed in the computer system. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16 wherein loading the data files includes loading data files providing information in various languages. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16 wherein loading the data files includes loading data files providing information from the sponsoring organization or employer of the user of the computer system. ### Claim 21 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16 wherein loading the key into a system information area includes loading the key into the Registry for the computer system. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21 wherein loading the key into the Registry includes loading the key into a Registry stored on the hard disk drive of the computer system. ### Claim 23 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21 wherein loading the key into the Registry includes loading the key into a Registry stored in a location accessible to the computer system through a network connection. ### Claim 24 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16 wherein in response to having executed the executable file the selected number of times, providing an interface enabling a user to stop further automatic executions of the executable file following system start up. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24 wherein providing an interface enabling a user to stop further automatic executions of the executable file includes providing a box to check and instruction to manually shut down a graphical user interface for the running executable file, both actions being necessary to stop further automatic execution of the executable file. ### Claim 26 A computer system comprising: a motherboard; a main memory coupled to the motherboard; plural components coupled to the motherboard; and a processor coupled to the motherboard programmed to execute the following instructions: upon system startup, determine if displayable files are present in a predetermined directory, the displayable files containing information pertaining to the plural components, if displayable files are present in the predetermined directory, then spawn a graphical user interface (GUI) to display the displayable files by linking to the displayable files, and provide an interface for a user to deactivate spawning of the GUI upon system startup. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The computer system of claim 26 wherein the components comprise two or more components selected from the group consisting of a hard disk drive, a Peripheral Component Interconnect device, an input/output (I/O) device connected to I/O circuitry, a Universal Serial Bus device, an optical disk device, a graphics control device, and a display. ### Claim 28 (depends on 26) The computer system of claim 26 wherein the component comprises a software program residing on a hard disk drive. ### Claim 29 (depends on 26) The computer system of claim 26 wherein if displayable files are present in the predetermined directory, then an execution icon for spawning the GUI is placed on the desktop of the computer system operating system interface. ### Claim 30 (depends on 26) The computer system of claim 26 wherein if displayable files are present in the predetermined directory, then an execution icon for spawning the GUI is placed in the Start Menu of the computer system operating system interface. ### Claim 31 (depends on 26) The computer system of claim 26 further comprising instructions that automatically provide the interface for a user to deactivate spawning of the GUI upon system startup, the automatic provision securing after the computer system has been booted up a predetermined number of times. ### Claim 32 (depends on 31) The computer system of claim 31 wherein the predetermined number is placed in a system information area of the computer system. ### Claim 33 (depends on 32) The computer system of claim 32 wherein the system information area is the Registry for the computer system. ### Claim 34 A removable media storage device containing instructions to display data about a computer system on the computer system, the instructions comprising the acts of: initiating a boot sequence of the computer system; reading a key and initiating execution of a program that accesses data files for display, the key being read from a system information area; if data files containing data to be displayed on the computer system are in predetermined locations in the computer system, then containing execution of the program that accesses the data files for display by: opening a graphical user interface (GUI), associating the data files to be displayed with the GUI, and displaying the data about the computer system; and if no data files are in predetermined locations in the computer system, then removing the key from the system information area during the boot sequence. ### Claim 35 (depends on 34) The removable media storage device of claim 34 wherein the act of reading the key from the system information area includes reading the key from a Registry for the computer system. ### Claim 36 (depends on 34) The removable media storage device of claim 34 wherein the act of determining if data files are in predetermined locations includes the act of reading a hypertext markup language file identifier. ### Claim 37 (depends on 34) The removable media storage device of claim 34 wherein the act of determining if data files are in predetermined locations includes the act of reading a text file identifier. ### Claim 38 (depends on 34) The removable media storage device of claim 34 wherein the act of determining if data files are in predetermined locations includes determining if data files are in a subdirectory of an operating system root directory. ### Claim 39 (depends on 34) The removable media storage device of claim 34 wherein the act of continuing execution of the program that accesses the data files for display includes placing an execution icon on a desktop of the computer system. ### Claim 40 (depends on 34) The removable media storage device of claim 34 wherein the act of continuing execution of the program that accesses the data files for display includes placing an execution icon in a Start Menu of the computer system. ### Claim 41 (depends on 34) The removable media storage device of claim 34 wherein the act of continuing execution of the program that accesses the data files for display includes tracking the number of times the program is initiated after a boot sequence. ### Claim 42 (depends on 41) The removable media storage device of claim 41 wherein tracking the number of times the program is initiated after a boot sequence includes maintaining a variable in the key that is decremented each time the program is initiated after a boot sequence, and when that variable reaches a predetermined level, providing an interface to stop further automatic executions of the program following a boot sequence.