Automatic updating of diverse software products on multiple client computer systems

• US 20020166001A1
• Filed: 04/30/2002
• Published: 11/07/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1996
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Babu Katchapalayam, Balaji Narasimhan, Bing Liu, Gopal Ramanujam, Jonathan Tran, Kenneth Hwang, Ravi Kannan, William Cheng
• Original Assignee: Babu Katchapalayam, Balaji Narasimhan, Bing Liu, Gopal Ramanujam, Jonathan Tran, Kenneth Hwang, Ravi Kannan, William Cheng
• Inventors: Liu, Bing, Kannan, Ravi, Narasimhan, Balaji, Cheng, William, Katchapalayam, Babu, Ramanujam, Gopal, Hwang, Kenneth, Tran, Jonathan
• Granted Patent: US 6,496,875 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/62 Uninstallation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• 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: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A system and method update client computers of various end users with software updates for software products installed on the client computers, the software products manufacturered by diverse, unrelated software vendors. The system includes a service provider computer system, a number of client computers and software vendor computer systems communicating on a common network. The service provider computer system stores in an update database information about the software updates of the diverse software vendors, identifying the software products for which software updates are available, their location on the network at the various software vendor computer systems, information for identifying in the client computers the software products stored thereon, and information for determining for such products, which have software updates available. Users of the client computers connect to the service provider computer and obtain a current version of portions of the database. The client computer determines that software products stored thereon, and using this information, determines from the database, which products have updates available, based on product name and release information for the installed products. The user selects updates for installation. The selected updates are downloaded from the software vendor computer systems and installed on the client computer. Payment for the software update and the service is mediated by the service provider computer. Authentication of the user ensures only registered users obtain software updates. Authentication of the software updates ensures that the software updates are virus free and uncorrupted. Changes to the client computer during installation are monitored and archived, allowing the updates to be subsequently removed by the user.

Claims

1. A method for undoing changes to a client computer, comprising:

for each change to a client computer, storing data descriptive of the change;

receiving a user selection of an installed software to remove from the client computer;

retrieving any of the data associated with the installed software; and

restoring the client computer to a state prior to the installation of the software by undoing the changes described by the data.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the changes made to the client computer are monitored during installation.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the stored data is archived.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the software includes a software update.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein multiple changes are undone.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the change includes a deleted file.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the change includes an altered file.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein the user selection of the installed software is received via an interface.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein the interface includes a field for indicating previously installed software.

10. A method according to claim 9, wherein the interface includes a window for describing the previously installed software.

11. A method according to claim 1, and further comprising storing a configuration of the client computer before the changes occur.

12. A method according to claim 1, wherein the data includes a pathname.

14. A computer program product according to claim 13, wherein the changes made to the client computer are monitored during installation.

15. A computer program product according to claim 13, wherein the stored data is archived.

16. A computer program product according to claim 13, wherein the software includes a software update.

17. A computer program product according to claim 13, wherein multiple changes are undone.

18. A computer program product according to claim 13, wherein the change includes a deleted file.

19. A computer program product according to claim 13, wherein the change includes an altered file.

20. A computer program product according to claim 13, wherein the user selection of the installed software is received via an interface.

21. A computer program product according to claim 20, wherein the interface includes a field for indicating previously installed software.

22. A computer program product according to claim 21, wherein the interface includes a window for describing the previously installed software.

23. A computer program product according to claim 13, and further comprising computer code for storing a configuration of the client computer before the changes occur.

24. A computer program product according to claim 13, wherein the data includes a pathname.

13. A computer program product for undoing changes to a client computer, comprising:

computer code for storing data descriptive of changes to a client computer;

computer code for receiving a user selection of an installed software to remove from the client computer;

computer code for retrieving any of the data associated with the installed software; and

computer code for restoring the client computer to a state prior to the installation of the software by undoing the changes described by the data.

25. An system for undoing changes to a client computer, comprising:

an application for storing data descriptive of changes to a client computer; and

an interface associated with the application for receiving a user selection of an installed software to remove from the client computer;

wherein any of the data associated with the installed software is retrieved by the application, and the client computer is restored to a state prior to the installation of the software by undoing the changes described by the data.