Western Digital Ventures, Inc.

Western Digital Technologies, Inc.

Matthew W Milne

Vu V Luu

Scott T Hughes

Michael K Eneboe

Michael Stephen Rothberg

Xuejian Fu

Vu L Luu

David H Smith

Stephen T Havert

A method of distributing advertisement content. One embodiment of the invention comprises a distribution server that is connected to a network of personal computers via a network. The distribution server receives advertising data from advertisers and formats the advertisement data for storage and display on the personal computers during or before bootloading a user selected application environment. Upon the occurrence of one or more events, the distribution server distributes the advertisement data to the network of personal computers. The personal computers receive the distributed advertisement content and store the advertisement data on a storage device. Upon the bootloading of the user selected application environment, the advertising data is displayed to the user.

System and method of receiving advertisement content from advertisers and distributing the advertising content to a network of personal computers

A personal computer system displays digital content received from a content delivery server. The content delivery server provides the digital content as a result of being contacted by a server-contacting program stored on a disk drive in the computer and initiated by the drive firmware. The digital content can be any of a number of file types including AVI, MPEG, or MP3.

Method of and personal computer for displaying content received from a content delivery server using a disk drive which includes a network address for the content delivery server and a server-contacting program

A computer network connects a personal computer system to a content delivery system for delivering digital content to the personal computer. The personal computer comprises a disk drive which includes a network address for the content delivery system and a server-contacting program. The disk drive comprises firmware installed during manufacturing of the drive which initiates execution of the server-contacting program to enable the network connection and facilitate delivery of content to a large number of personal computers.

Computer network and connection method for connecting a personal computer and a content delivery system using a disk drive which includes a network address and server-contacting program

A system for configuring, loading and executing an operating system for performing a user-selected function is disclosed. The system includes a disk drive including: a host-accessible user partition; a host-inaccessible hidden partition independent of the host-accessible user partition; and a disk controller. The user partition includes: a user partition address range; a host-selected operating system; and a host-selected master boot record. The host-inaccessible hidden partition includes: a hidden partition address range outside the user partition address range; an application program for allowing a user to select a function to perform and configuring, loading and executing an operating system to perform the selected function; and a drive-selected boot record for loading and executing the application program that allows the user to select a function and configures, loads and executes an operating system for performing the function.

Disk drive having a protected partition configured to load an operating system for performing a user-selected function

A content delivery server delivers digital content to a personal computer having a disk drive which stores a network address and server-contacting program for establishing a connection between the content delivery server and the personal computer. The content delivery system provides a variety of digital content including AVI, MPEG and MP3 format files to the personal computer and periodically refreshes the content according to user preferences.

Method of and content delivery server for delivering content to a personal computer having a disk drive which includes a network address for the content delivery server and a server-contacting program

A disk drive is manufactured with a stored server-contacting program and a network address. Preferably, a protected area is provided for retaining the server-contacting program and the network address in the disk drive while it travels through a distribution channel to be installed in a user's personal computer system. The disk drive has firmware installed during manufacturing to initiate execution of the server-contacting program at an appropriate time, preferably when a selected condition has been met.

Disk drive and method of manufacturing same including a network address and server-contacting program

A system and method for performing disk drive diagnostics and restoration using a host-inaccessible partition are disclosed. The system includes a disk drive including: a host-accessible user partition; a host-inaccessible hidden partition independent of the host-accessible user partition; and a disk controller. The user partition includes: a user partition address range; a host-selected operating system; and a host-selected master boot record. The host-inaccessible hidden partition includes: a hidden partition address range outside the user partition address range; diagnostic software for determining a condition of the computer system; and a drive-selected master boot record for waiting for a user input; if the user input is received within a predetermined time period: loading and executing the diagnostic software; and if the user input is not received within the predetermined time period: loading the host-selected master boot record; and loading and executing the host-selected operating system identified by the host-selected master boot record.

Growing community of inventors

Chino, CA, United States of America

Matthew W Milne