Intelligent download of application programs

• US 10,084,874 B2
• Filed: 06/02/2014
• Issued: 09/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Gharabally, Sam, Kelly, Sean B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Katsikis, Kostas
• Application Number:
  US14/293,790
• Publication Number:
  US 20140280462A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,576 Days
• Field of Search: 709202, 709225
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/64 Retargetable
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561

Abstract

Improved techniques for controlling delivery (e.g., download) of application programs from a remote application repository to different client computing devices are disclosed. Application programs are often built to operate on computing devices that have certain hardware capabilities. Hence, application programs available for download from a remote application repository might not be suitable execution on all client computing devices that are able to access the remote application repository. The improved techniques for controlling delivery can operate to permit the applications to be received by only those client computing devices that have the required hardware capabilities to properly operate the application programs.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method comprising:

by a repository server with a processor and memory;

storing a plurality of application programs available for download to an on-line application repository of the repository server;

causing display of information of application programs available for download on a web page, the web page comprising a user interface control and evaluation program code;

receiving a request, from a computing device, to download one of the plurality of stored application programs;

receiving operating system device information for the computing device;

receiving selection of the user interface control;

determining, by the evaluation program code of the web page, whether the computing device is a supported device for a requested application program indicated by the request to download in response to selection of the user interface control by comparing supported device requirements of the requested application program with operating system device information for the computing device;

permitting download of the requested application program to the computing device in response to a determination that the computing device is a supported device for the requested application program; and

sending for display a message that download of the requested application program is denied in response to a determination that the computing device is not a supported device for the requested application program.

2. The computer implemented method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

providing a link to information pertinent to denial of the download of the requested application program to the hand-held computing device in a response to a determination that the computing device is not a supported device for the requested application program.

3. The computer implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein the supported device requirements are provided from the on-line application repository.

4. The computer implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein the supported device requirements are embedded in application information pertaining to the requested application program received from the on-line application repository.

5. The computer implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein the supported device requirements comprise at least one supported functional capability.

6. The computer implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein the supported device requirements are contained within the web page, the method further comprising displaying a description of the supported device requirements on the web page.

7. The computer implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein the supported device requirements comprise, for the computing device, one or more necessary hardware components and one or more necessary software components.

8. A non-transitory computer readable medium including at least executable computer program code stored thereon for acquiring application programs at a client device, said computer readable medium comprising:

computer program code executed by a repository server with a processor and memory, for allowing navigation of a web page that displays plurality of application programs, the navigation being in accordance with one or more received user inputs to select an application program to download from the plurality of application programs, plurality of the application programs are available from the on-line application repository, wherein the web page comprises a user interface control and evaluation program code;

computer program code executed by the repository server for receiving a download request, by the user interface control, to download a requested of the selected application program to the client device from the plurality of application programs available from the on-line application repository;

computer program code executed by the repository server for receiving operating system device information for the client device;

computer program code executed by the repository server for determining, by the evaluation program code of the web page, whether the client device supports operation of the requested application program by comparing supported device requirements of the requested application program with the operating system device information for the client device;

computer program code executed by the repository server for visually maintaining the user interface control for permitting selection of download of the requested selected application program to the client device from the on-line application repository in response to a determination if it is determined that the client device supports operation of the requested selected application program; and

computer program code executed by the repository server for sending for display a message that download of the requested application program is denied in response to a determination that the client device does not support operation of the requested application program.

9. The non-transitory computer readable medium as recited in claim 8,

wherein said computer readable medium comprises:

computer program code executed by the repository server for providing application information pertaining to the requested application program to the client device, wherein the requested application program is selected by navigating the on-line application repository displayed on the web page.

10. The non-transitory computer readable medium as recited in claim 8, wherein the supported device requirements are embedded in application information pertaining to the requested application program received from the on-line application repository.

11. The non-transitory computer readable medium as recited in claim 8, wherein the supported device requirements are provided from the on-line application repository.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium as recited in claim 8, wherein the supported device requirements comprise at least one supported functional capability.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium as recited in claim 8, wherein the supported device requirements comprise, for the client device, one or more necessary hardware components and one or more necessary software components.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium as recited in claim 8, wherein the supported device requirements are contained within the web page, said computer readable medium further comprising computer program code executed by the repository server for displaying a description of the supported device requirements on the web page.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium including at least executable computer program code stored thereon for downloading application programs to a computing device from an on-line application repository, said computer readable medium comprising:

computer program code executed by a repository server with a processor and memory for presenting a user interface control on a web page for requesting download of one or more application programs, the web page comprising a user interface control and evaluation program code;

computer program code executed by the repository server for receiving a request, by the user interface control, to download a requested application program available from the on-line application repository;

computer program code executed by the repository server for receiving operating system device information for the computing device;

computer program code executed by the repository server for determining, by the evaluation program code of the web page, whether the computing device is a supported device for the requested application program, in response to selection of the user interface control, by comparing supported device requirements of the requested application program with the operating system device information for the computing device;

computer program code executed by the repository server for permitting of download of the requested application program to the computing device in response to a determination that the computing device is a supported device for the requested application program; and

computer program code executed by the repository server for sending for display a message that download of the requested application program is denied in response to a determination that the computing device is not a supported device for the requested application program.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium as recited in claim 15, wherein the supported device requirements are embedded in information pertaining to the requested application program received from the on-line application repository.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium as recited in claim 15, and wherein the supported device requirements are provided from the on-line application repository.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium as recited in claim 15, wherein the supported device requirements are contained within the web page, said computer readable medium further comprising computer program code executed by the repository server for displaying a description of the supported device requirements on the web page.