Application update using multiple network connections

• US 10,129,810 B1
• Filed: 10/13/2015
• Issued: 11/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Philips North America LLC (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Open Invention Network LLC
• Inventors: Nguyen, Kevin V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sison, June
• Application Number:
  US14/882,028
• Time in Patent Office: 1,127 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/318 Received signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/08 Configuration management of networks or network elements address allocation H04L61/50
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0811 by checking connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/22 Alternate routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/04 based on wireless node resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/542 using measured or perceived quality
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/00 Connection management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A system and method that enables an application to retrieve application update from the software vendor using one or more network connection. The application checks for updates when it is invoked by the user. The checking of updates is done by sending a request to the vendor server via one or multiple network connections. The network connection can be wired or wireless. By using multiple network connections, the update process can send and receive update data faster than using one network connections. Another aspect of the invention is if the checking for update request failed via the default or 1^st network connection, the application will check for the next available network connection to send the update request. By checking for update from the vendor, the application will always have the most up to date patches, fixes, and/or new features.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

transmitting a request to a server to check for an application update, the request being sent from a first of a plurality of available network connections available to a local computing device;

retrieving a signal strength of all of the plurality of available network connections;

selecting one of the plurality of available network connections which has the greatest signal strength available to the local computing device to use for receiving the application update;

transmitting a request for the application update utilizing a second available network connection different from the first available network connection and which has the greatest signal strength available to the local computing device; and

downloading and receiving the application update via the second available network connection.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting application data from the local computing device to the server, the application data comprising an application version number, an application install date and time, an application identifier, and local computing device identification information.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving a response from the server indicating that an application update is available, the response including a request for permission to begin downloading the application update; and

transmitting another request to the server to initiate the application update download.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the application update comprises at least one of application drivers, application patches and new application features not previously installed with an application.

5. The method of claim 1, comprising receiving a notification that the application update is available.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising querying each of the plurality of available network connections and looping through each of a respective plurality of network access adapters to determine which of the plurality of available network connections to use for updating an application.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising disconnecting all of the other available network connections once the one of the plurality of available network connection has been selected.

8. An apparatus comprising:

memory which stores instructions; and

a processor which executes those instructions to;

transmit a request to a server to check for an application update, the request sent from a first of a plurality of available network connections available to a local computing device;

retrieve a signal strength of all of the plurality of available network connections;

select one of the plurality of available network connections which has the greatest signal strength available to the local computing device to use to receive the application update;

transmit a request for the application update via a second available network connection different from the first available network connection and which has the greatest signal strength available to the local computing device; and

download and receive the application update via the second available network connection.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the processor further transmits the application data from the local computing device to the server, the application data comprising an application version number, an application install date and time, an application identifier, and local computing device identification information.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the processor further receives a response from the server indicates that an application update is available, the response includes a request for permission to begin a download of the application update, and transmits another request to the server to initiate the application update download.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the application update comprises at least one of application drivers, application patches and new application features not previously installed with an application.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the processor executes those instructions to receive a notification that the application update is available.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the processor further queries each of the plurality of available network connections and loops through each of a respective plurality of network access adapters to determine which of the plurality of available network connections to use for updating an application.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the processor further disconnects all of the other available network connections once the one of the plurality of available network connection has been selected.

15. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed causes a processor to perform:

transmitting a request to a server to check for an application update, the request being sent from a first of a plurality of available network connections available to the local computing device;

retrieving a signal strength of all of the plurality of available network connections;

selecting one of the plurality of available network connections which has the greatest signal strength available to a local computing device to use for receiving the application update;

transmitting a request for the application update utilizing a second available network connection different from the first available network connection and which has the greatest signal strength available to the local computing device; and

downloading and receiving the application update via the second available network connection.

16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the processor further performs:

transmitting application data from the local computing device to the server, the application data comprising an application version number, an application install date and time, an application identifier, and local computing device identification information.

17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the processor further performs:

receiving a response from the server indicating that an application update is available, the response including a request for permission to begin downloading the application update; and

transmitting another request to the server to initiate the application update download.

18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the application update comprises at least one of application drivers, application patches and new application features not previously installed with an application.

19. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the processor further performs receiving a notification that the application update is available.

20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the processor further performs querying each of the plurality of available network connections and looping through each of a respective plurality of network access adapters to determine which of the plurality of available network connections to use for updating an application.