Client-server system, computer readable medium and computer-executable program product for updating software

• US 20020029244A1
• Filed: 04/26/2001
• Published: 03/07/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: NIFTY Corp. (Nojima Corporation)
• Original Assignee: NIFTY Corp. (Nojima Corporation)
• Inventors: Suzuki, Ryuichi, Nakaizumi, Takashi, Kenmotsu, Takeo, Kobayashi, Tsutomu, Satoh, Osamu
• Application Number:
  US09/842,179
• Publication Number:
  US 20020029244A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57

Abstract

Disclosed is a client-server system in which a software product for performing a specific processing is automatically updated. The client-server system includes one or more client apparatus onto which software (files) for specific processing are installed and a server apparatus onto which the software of the latest version is installed. Each client apparatus, when the software is activated, checks whether one or more updated files exist in the sever apparatus before starting the intrinsic processing. If one or more updated files exist in the server apparatus, the client apparatus downloads the files from the server apparatus and then starts the intrinsic processing using downloaded files.

Claims

1. A client-server system including a server apparatus and one or more client apparatuses,

said server apparatus comprising:

a server side file storing part for storing one or more files which are to be stored in a client apparatus to perform specific processing;

an update list storing part for storing a update list holding information which specifies versions of the one or more files stored in said server side file storing part;

an update list sending back part for, when a processing start request of fixed contents is received, sending back the update list stored in said update list storing part to the client apparatus from which the processing start request is sent; and

an sending back part for, when receiving a transfer request for one or more files stored in said server side file storing part, sending back the one or more files requested by the transfer request in said server side file storing part to the client apparatus from which the transfer request is sent;

Each of said client apparatus comprising;

a client side file storing part for storing one or more files used to perform the specific processing;

a local update list storing part for storing a local update list holding information which specifies versions of the one or more files stored in said client side file storing part;

a processing start request sending part for sending the processing start request, when instruction to start the specific processing is given by user;

a file specifying part for specify one or more files to obtain for performing the specific processing in the latest condition by comparing the local update list stored in the local update list storing part with the update list received in response to the start request sent by said processing start part; and

a specific processing starting part for, if one or more files are specified by said file specifying part, sending the transfer request for the specified files to said server apparatus and storing the one or more files which said sending back part of said server apparatus sends in response to the transfer request into said client side file storing part and updating the local update list in said local update list storing part according to the stored files and starting the specific processing, and for, if no file is specified by said file specifying part, starting the specific processing.

2. The client-server system according to claim 1, wherein the specific process is a process that said server apparatus and said client apparatus performs while exchanging information therebetween.

3. The client-server system according to claim 1, wherein said server apparatus further comprises software supplying part for supplying software which causes a computer capable of communicating with said server apparatus to function as said client apparatus.

4. A Computer readable medium stored with software for causing a computer capable of communicating with a server apparatus to function as a client apparatus,

said server apparatus comprising:

a server side file storing part for storing one or more files which are to be stored in said client apparatus to perform specific processing;

an update list storing part for storing a update list holding information which specifies versions of the one or more files stored in said server side file storing part;

an update list sending back part for, when a processing start request of fixed contents is received, sending back the update list stored in said update list storing part to the client apparatus from which the processing start request is sent; and

a sending back part for, when receiving a transfer request for one or more files stored in said server side file storing part, sending back the one or more files which are requested by the transfer request in said server side file storing part to the client apparatus from which the processing start request is sent; and

said client apparatus comprising;

a client side file storing part for storing one or more files used to perform the specific processing;

a local update list storing part for storing a local update list holding information which specifies versions of the one or more files stored in said client side file storing part;

a processing start request sending part for sending the processing start request, when instruction to start the specific processing is given by user;

a file specifying part for specify one or more files to obtain for performing the specific, processing in the latest condition by comparing the local update list stored in the local update list storing part with the update list which said server apparatus update list sending back part of said server apparatus send in response to the start request sent by said processing start part; and

a specific processing starting part for, if one or more files are specified by said file specifying part, sending the transfer request for the specified files to said server apparatus and storing the one or more files which said sending back part of said server apparatus sends in response to the transfer request into said client side file storing part and updating the local update list in said local update list storing part according to the stored files and starting the specific processing, and for, if no file is specified by said file specifying part, starting the specific processing.

5. A computer-executable program product consists of plural files for adding ability to perform specific processing to a computer capable of communicating a server apparatus, said computer-executable program product including:

computer readable program code to send a processing start request to the server apparatus, when instruction to start the specific processing is given by user; and

computer readable program code to receive, as a response to the start request, information about versions of files provided in the server apparatus and specifies one or more files to be downloaded for performing the specific processing in the latest condition based on the received information; and

computer readable program code to, if one or more files are specified, download the specified files from the server apparatus and then starts the specific processing with using the downloaded files, and, if no file is specified, starts the specific processing without downloading any file from the server apparatus.