Remote computer capabilities querying and certification
First Claim
1. A method of querying a client computer by a server over a communication network to determine whether said client computer has sufficient performance capability in order to utilize an on-line service, comprising:
- allowing a query program to be downloaded to said client computer, said query program, upon execution, querying said client computer for at least one performance parameter;
transmitting said at least one performance parameter to said server; and
determining whether said client computer has a sufficient performance capability to utilize said on-line service based on said at least one performance parameter.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A remote client computer performance/compatibility querying and certification system allows a server to remotely query a client computer over a communication network to gather performance/capability information of the client computer, e.g., the processor class or family, the type and the version of the operating system, display resolution capability, installed software components, peripheral devices connected to the client computer and/or the like, and determines whether the client computer is capable of accessing and utilizing an on-line service available over the communication network. The performance/capability information is gathered by the use of a querying program downloaded from the server, and running on the client computer. The querying program may query, e.g., through one or more application program interface (API) function calls, the system/component registry of the operating system of the client computer. The gathered performance/capability information may be used, e.g., to pre-certify the client computer before the user attempts to utilize the on-line service, to determine whether the client computer is compatible with a software product, which the user of the client computer desires to purchase on-line over the communication network, and/or to provide an expert technician information regarding the installed software/hardware components of the client computer during an on-line technical support session.
117 Citations
30 Claims
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1. A method of querying a client computer by a server over a communication network to determine whether said client computer has sufficient performance capability in order to utilize an on-line service, comprising:
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allowing a query program to be downloaded to said client computer, said query program, upon execution, querying said client computer for at least one performance parameter;
transmitting said at least one performance parameter to said server; and
determining whether said client computer has a sufficient performance capability to utilize said on-line service based on said at least one performance parameter. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A computer readable storage medium on which is embedded one or more computer programs, said one or more computer programs implementing a method of querying a client computer by a server over a communication network to determine whether said client computer has sufficient performance capability in order to utilize an on-line service, said one or more computer programs comprising a set of instructions for:
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allowing a query program to be downloaded to said client computer, said query program, upon execution, querying said client computer for at least one performance parameter;
transmitting said at least one performance parameter to said server; and
determining whether said client computer has a sufficient performance capability to utilize said on-line service based on said at least one performance parameter. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 29, 30)
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19. A system for remotely querying a client computer by a server over a communication network, comprising:
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a communication network; and
a server configured to allow a query program to be downloaded to said client computer, said query program, upon execution, querying said client computer for at least one performance parameter, said server further configured to receive said at least one performance parameter from said querying program, and to determine whether said client computer has a sufficient performance capability to utilize said on-line service based on said at least one performance parameter.
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28. A method of providing information regarding one or more components installed on a user computer to an expert technician during an on-line technical support session with a sever over a communication network, comprising:
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allowing a query program to be downloaded to said user computer, said query program, upon execution, querying said user computer for information regarding said one or more components installed on said user computer;
transmitting said information to said sever; and
displaying said information to said expert technician.
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Specification