Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and storage medium

• US 20020184499A1
• Filed: 04/18/2002
• Published: 12/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Tamori, Hirofumi, Tanabe, Mitsuru, Sakazume, Yuka, Taguchi, Toshihiro
• Granted Patent: US 7,415,707 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/168
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation

Abstract

An information processing apparatus, an information processing method, and a storage medium are disclosed which determines whether or not to install program modules by acquiring environment information relevant to the types of the modules so that only those modules judged compatible with the environment of interest may be installed. This makes it possible for users to install only necessary program modules without becoming aware of specific conditions restricting the installation of the modules.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus comprising:

location information acquiring means for acquiring, from a predetermined server, location information defining the location of a server which stores at least one program module; and

program module acquiring means for acquiring said program module by gaining access to said server storing said program module based on said location information.

2. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

module information acquiring means for acquiring, from a predetermined server, module information about at least one program module; and

installable program module determining means for determining an installable program module based on said module information and on an operating environment of said information processing apparatus;

wherein said program module acquiring means acquires said installable program module by gaining access to said server of which the location is defined by said location information.

3. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising location information decryption means for decrypting said location information which is encrypted.

4. An information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said installable program module determining means further determines whether or not said installable program module is later in version than a previously installed program module corresponding to said installable program module.

5. An information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said installable program module determining means further determines whether or not said installable program module meets requirements for a program module to operate under an operating system of said information processing apparatus.

6. An information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said installable program module determining means utilizes a route through which said program module of which the location is defined by said location information is acquired, as a basis for the determination.

7. An information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said program module acquiring means acquires, from among installable program modules, only a program module allowed to be installed by operation of a user.

8. An information processing apparatus comprising:

location file acquiring means for acquiring, from a predetermined server, a location file defining the location of a server which stores a setting file including location information defining the location of a server storing at least one program module;

setting file acquiring means for acquiring said setting file by gaining access to said server of which the location is defined by said location file; and

program module acquiring means for acquiring said program module by gaining access to said server storing said program module based on said location information.

9. An information processing apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising:

installable program module group determining means for determining a group of installable program modules based on program module information included in said setting file and on an operating environment of said information processing apparatus;

wherein said program module acquiring means acquires an installable program module by gaining access to said server of which the location is defined by said location information.

10. An information processing method comprising the steps of:

acquiring, from a predetermined server, location information defining the location of a server which stores at least one program module; and

acquiring said program module by gaining access to said server storing said program module based on said location information.

11. An information processing method according to claim 10, further comprising the steps of:

acquiring module information about at least one program module from a predetermined server;

analyzing an operating environment of an information processing apparatus into which to install said program module;

determining an installable program module based on said module information and on a result of the analysis of said operating environment; and

acquiring said installable program module by gaining access to said server of which the location is defined by said location information.

12. An information processing method according to claim 10, further comprising the step of decrypting said location information which is encrypted.

13. An information processing method according to claim 11, wherein said installable program module determining step further determines whether or not said installable program module is later in version than a previously installed program module corresponding to said installable program module.

14. An information processing method according to claim 11, wherein said installable program module determining step further determines whether or not said installable program module meets requirements for a program module to operate under an operating system of said information processing apparatus.

15. An information processing method according to claim 11, wherein said installable program module determining step utilizes a route through which said program module of which the location is defined by said location information is acquired, as a basis for the determination.

16. An information processing method according to claim 11, wherein said program module acquiring step acquires, from among installable program modules, only a program module allowed to be installed by operation of a user.

18. An information processing method according to claim 17, further comprising the steps of:

analyzing an operating environment of an information processing apparatus into which to install said program module;

determining an installable program module based on program module information included in said setting file and on a result of the analysis of said operating environment; and

acquiring said installable program module by gaining access to said server of which the location is defined by said location information.

20. A storage medium which stores, in a computer-readable manner, a software installation support program according to claim 19, the program further causing said computer to carry out the steps of:

acquiring module information about at least one program module from a predetermined server;

analyzing an operating environment of an information processing apparatus into which to install said program module;

determining an installable program module based on said module information and on a result of the analysis of said operating environment; and

acquiring said installable program module by gaining access to said server of which the location is defined by said location information.

17. An information processing method comprising the steps of:

acquiring, from a predetermined server, a location file defining the location of a server which stores a setting file including location information defining the location of a server storing at least one program module;

acquiring said setting file by gaining access to said server of which the location is defined by said location file; and

acquiring said program module by gaining access to said server storing said program module based on said location information.

19. A storage medium which stores, in a computer-readable manner, a software installation support program for causing a computer to carry out the steps of:

acquiring, from a predetermined server, location information defining the location of a server which stores at least one program module; and

acquiring said program module by gaining access to said server storing said program module based on said location information.

21. A storage medium which stores, in a computer-readable manner, a software installation support program for causing a computer to carry out the steps of:

acquiring, from a predetermined server, a location file defining the location of a server which stores a setting file including location information defining the location of a server storing at least one program module;

acquiring said setting file by gaining access to said server of which the location is defined by said location file; and

acquiring said program module by gaining access to said server storing said program module based on said location information.

22. A storage medium which stores, in a computer-readable manner, a software installation support program according to claim 21, the program further causing said computer to carry out the steps of:

analyzing an operating environment of an information processing apparatus into which to install said program module;

determining an installable program module based on program module information included in said setting file and on a result of the analysis of said operating environment; and

acquiring said installable program module by gaining access to said server of which the location is defined by said location information.

23. An information processing apparatus comprising:

location information acquiring means for acquiring, from a predetermined server, location information defining the location of servers which severally store at least one program module; and

program module acquiring means for acquiring said program modules by gaining access to said servers severally storing said program modules based on said location information.

24. An information processing apparatus comprising:

location file acquiring means for acquiring, from a predetermined server, a location file defining the location of a sever which stores a setting file including location information defining the location of servers which severally store at least one program module;

setting file acquiring means for acquiring said setting file by gaining access to said server of which the location is defined by said location file;

program module acquiring means for acquiring said program modules by gaining access to said servers storing said program modules based on said location information.