Computer peripheral device containing contents and method of outputting contents using the same

Abstract

A computer peripheral device containing contents and a method of outputting contents using the device are provided. The computer peripheral device containing contents includes: a memory in which contents and a program for driving the contents are previously stored, the memory outputting the contents and the content driving program in a content mode; an operation unit for performing a basic function of the computer peripheral device in a basic function mode; a controller setting the peripheral device to the content mode when a basic function of the peripheral device is initially performed on or after supply of power to execute the content driving program in a connected computer, and receiving a mode conversion signal generated on completion of the content driving program to switch from the content mode to the basic function mode for operation of the operation unit; and an interface for converting a signal output from the controller in a manner designated by the connected computer to output the converted signal. The computer peripheral device containing contents in accordance with the present invention can enhance the effect of contents such as advertisements etc. by outputting the contents when power is supplied to the computer to operate the peripheral device in the basic function mode or when no signal is input to the computer for more than a predetermined time.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the more particular description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawing. The drawing is not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a conventional computer peripheral device;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a first exemplary embodiment of a computer peripheral device containing contents in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an optical mouse containing contents in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a handheld memory device containing contents in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a second exemplary embodiment of a computer peripheral device containing contents in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a first exemplary embodiment of a content output method using a computer peripheral device containing contents;

FIGS. 7A and 7B are flowcharts showing execution of a content driving program of FIG. 6; and

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a second exemplary embodiment of a content output method using a computer peripheral device containing contents.

Claims

1. A computer peripheral device containing contents, the device comprising: a memory in which contents and a program for driving the contents are previously stored, the memory outputting the contents and/or the content driving program in a content mode;an operation unit for performing a basic function of the computer peripheral device in a basic function mode;a controller setting the peripheral device to the content mode when a basic function of the peripheral device is initially performed on or after supply of power to execute the content driving program in a connected computer, and receiving a mode conversion signal generated on completion of the content driving program to switch from the content mode to the basic function mode for operation of the operation unit; andan interface for converting a signal output from the controller in a manner designated by the connected computer to output the converted signal.

2. The computer peripheral device containing contents according to claim 1, wherein the operation unit generates an input signal in response to an input applied from the exterior to output the input signal to the controller when the computer peripheral device is an input device, receives an output signal from the controller to output the output signal in a designated manner when the computer peripheral device is an output device, and stores data in response to a control signal applied from the controller or outputs stored data when the computer peripheral device is a storage device.

3. The computer peripheral device containing contents according to claim 1, wherein the controller comprises: a mode setter for selecting one of the content mode and the basic function mode in response to a mode selection signal; anda control device outputting the mode selection signal to the mode setter in response to the mode conversion signal when a basic function of the peripheral device is initially performed on or after supply of power, determining whether a newer version of the content driving program stored in the memory is available at a designated Internet website when the computer is connected to the Internet and storing the newer version when available, installing the newer-version content driving program in the content memory when the content driving program is not installed or when an older version of the content driving program is installed, and executing the content driving program.

4. The computer peripheral device containing contents according to claim 3, wherein the control device blocks, or partially blocks, input to all peripheral devices connected to the computer before performing the content driving program in order to prevent interruption of the content driving program by a user when the peripheral device is initially used in the basic function mode on or after the supply of power, and ceases the input blocking when the content driving program is completed.

5. The computer peripheral device containing contents according to claim 3, wherein the control device is not switched to the basic function mode when the content driving program is interrupted by a user before normal completion, in the case of the peripheral device being set to the content mode on operation of the initial basic function on or after the supply of power.

6. The computer peripheral device containing contents according to claim 1, wherein the controller is switched to the content mode to execute the content driving program in the computer when an input of a user is not detected by the computer for more than a predetermined time in the basic function mode, and instantly switched to the basic function mode when an input of a user is detected by the computer.

7. A computer peripheral device containing contents, the device comprising: a memory in which a content screen saver is previously stored, the memory outputting the content screensaver in a content mode;an operation unit for performing a basic function of the computer peripheral device in a basic function mode;a controller setting the peripheral device to the content mode when a basic function of the peripheral device is initially performed on or after supply of power to determine whether the content screensaver is installed in a connected computer, installing the content screensaver in the memory when the screensaver is not installed, converting a preexisting screensaver set in the computer into the content screensaver, and receiving a content screensaver installation termination signal from the computer to switch from the content mode to the basic function mode for operation of the operation unit; andan interface for converting a signal output from the controller in a manner designated by the connected computer to output the converted signal.

8. The computer peripheral device containing contents according to claim 7, wherein the operation unit generates an input signal in response to an input applied from the exterior to output the input signal to the controller when the computer peripheral device is an input device, receives an output signal from the controller to output the output signal in a designated manner when the computer peripheral device is an output device, and stores data in response to a control signal applied from the controller or outputs stored data when the computer peripheral device is a storage device.

9. The computer peripheral device containing contents according to claim 7, wherein the controller comprises: a mode setter for selecting one of the content mode and the basic function mode in response to a mode selection signal; anda control device outputting the mode selection signal to the mode setter in response to the content screensaver installation termination signal when a basic function of the peripheral device is initially performed on or after supply of power, determining whether a newer version of the content screensaver stored in the memory is available at a designated Internet website when the computer is connected to the Internet and storing the newer version when available, installing the newer-version content screensaver in the content memory when the content screensaver is not installed or when an older version of the content screensaver is installed, and executing the content screensaver.

10. A content output method using a computer peripheral device containing contents, the method comprising: a) a content mode step of determining whether the peripheral device is connected to a computer when the peripheral device is initially operated in a basic function mode on or after supply of power to terminate the basic function mode if the peripheral device is not connected to the computer, and set the peripheral device to a content mode if the peripheral device is connected to the computer;b) an upgrade step of determining whether a newer version of a content driving program previously stored in a memory is available on the Internet when the computer is connected to the Internet and downloading and storing the newer version in the memory when available;c) a program installation step of determining whether the new-version content driving program stored in the memory is installed in the computer and installing the new-version content driving program when no content driving program is installed or when the installed content driving program is an older version than the content driving program stored in the memory;d) a first content output step of executing the content driving program to output the contents when the content driving program is installed; ande) a basic function mode step of setting the computer peripheral device to the basic function mode to perform a basic function.

11. The content output method according to claim 10, wherein step d) comprises the sub-steps of: blocking input from all peripheral devices connected to the computer before executing the content driving program to prevent a user from interrupting the content driving program; andceasing to block input from the peripheral devices upon completion of the content driving program.

12. The content output method according to claim 10, wherein in step d), the peripheral device does not switch to the basic function mode when the content driving program is interrupted by a user before normal completion.

13. The content output method according to claim 10, wherein step e) comprises: a step of determining whether an input is applied to the connected computer;a second content output step of executing the content driving program to output the contents when there is no input for more than a predetermined time; anda step of instantly returning to the basic function mode when an input is applied from the exterior.