System and method for obtaining software

• US 20030192040A1
• Filed: 04/03/2002
• Published: 10/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Vaughan, Robert D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,185,336 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation

Abstract

A system and method for obtaining software is disclosed. An operating environment of a first computer system is analyzed. A profile based on the operating environment is created. The profile is sent to a second computer system and the second computer system selects software based on the profile. The second computer forwards an indication of where the software is located and a software retrieval process is engaged. Software compatible with the profile is received.

Claims

1. A method for obtaining software comprising:

analyzing an operating environment of a first computer system automatically;

creating a profile based on said operating environment;

sending said profile to a second computer system; and

receiving software compatible with said profile.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising installing said software.

3. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said profile is transmitted within a uniform resource locator.

4. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising receiving information describing said software.

5. A method as recited in claim 4 wherein said information includes verification of software features and an identification of the location where said software is stored.

6. A method as recited in claim 4 wherein said information is received in extensible markup language format.

7. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said software is a device driver.

8. A software obtaining system comprising:

a target profile production component that produces a profile of a target system;

a software request generation component coupled to said target profile production component, said software request generation component generates a request for software that is compatible with said profile; and

a software loading component coupled to said software request generation component, said software loading component loads said software.

9. The target software obtaining system of claim 8 wherein said profile includes information indicating hardware, software and operating systems included in a target system.

10. The target software obtaining system of claim 8 wherein said software loading component parses said information received in response to said request for said software.

11. The target software obtaining system of claim 10 wherein said software loading component extracts the location of said software corresponding to said software request.

12. The target software obtaining system of claim 8 wherein said software loading component engages in a communication process in which software corresponding to said software request is retrieved.

13. The target software obtaining system of claim 8 wherein said software loading component installs software corresponding to said software request.

14. A computer readable medium having computer readable code embodied therein for causing a computer system to perform a target profile generation process, said method comprising:

performing an analysis of a computer system;

formulating a profile based on said analysis; and

forwarding said profile for utilization in a software selection process.

15. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 14 wherein said analysis includes identifying components included in said computer system.

16. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 14 wherein said software is an updated hardware device driver.

17. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 14 wherein said profile is transmitted within a uniform resource locator address.

18. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 14 further comprising:

rendering a prompt to inquire about a user'"'"'s intended usage of said computer system; and

including information associated with responses to said prompt in said profile.

19. A software access process comprising:

receiving information describing features of software;

parsing said information; and

executing a retrieval process for retrieving said software.

20. The software access process of claim 19 further comprising configuring the software in a manner ready for operation.

21. The software access process of claim 19 further comprising decompressing said information.

22. The software access process of claim 19 wherein a software file is retrieved from a remote software repository via a communication transfer protocol.

23. The software access process of claim 22 wherein said communication transfer protocol is a file transfer protocol.

24. A software acquiring system comprising:

a means for developing request parameters; and

a means for accessing software compatible with said request parameter.

25. The software acquiring system of claim 24 wherein said means for developing said request parameters comprises:

a means for examining a target system to ascertain identification of components included in said target system; and

a means for configuring a query that includes an indication of desired software compatible with components included in said target system.

26. The software acquiring system of claim 25 wherein said means for examining a target system examines the operating environment of said target system.

27. The software acquiring system of claim 24 wherein said means for accessing software comprises:

a means for installing said software;

a means for accessing decompressing said software; and

a means for loading said software.

28. The software acquiring system of claim 24 wherein said means for accessing software loads said software via a network communication protocol.