Software sharing model
First Claim
1. In a computer network that includes a plurality of computer systems including a set of at least one provider computer system that is configured to provide software, and a set of at least one consumer computer system that is configured to use software, the set of provider computer systems including a provider computer system that is configured to provide or previously provided a specific software module, the set of consumer computer systems including a consumer computer system that is configured to use the specific software module, a method for facilitating the consumer computer system accessing the specific software module, the method comprising the following:
- an act of gathering a first set of one or more candidates for providing one or more software modules to one or more consumer computer systems;
an act of receiving a notification from a software component of the consumer computer system, the notification describing at least a desire for software that meets certain criteria;
an act of comparing the certain criteria against the first set of one or more candidates; and
an act of returning information identifying a second set of one or more candidates from the first set of one or more candidates based on the comparison, the second set of one or more candidates including at least one candidate capable of providing the specific software module.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A model for sharing software such as a device driver. After receiving a notification that a consumer computer system is in need of software that has certain criteria, a referral list is consulted to determine an available software item that best meets this need. The consumer computer system is then told of a provider computer system that is capable of providing that software. The consumer computer system may then download that software directly from the provider computer system. In one example, the software is a driver thus allowing a consumer computer system to automatically download an appropriate driver upon connection of an associated hardware device.
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Citations
40 Claims
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1. In a computer network that includes a plurality of computer systems including a set of at least one provider computer system that is configured to provide software, and a set of at least one consumer computer system that is configured to use software, the set of provider computer systems including a provider computer system that is configured to provide or previously provided a specific software module, the set of consumer computer systems including a consumer computer system that is configured to use the specific software module, a method for facilitating the consumer computer system accessing the specific software module, the method comprising the following:
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an act of gathering a first set of one or more candidates for providing one or more software modules to one or more consumer computer systems;
an act of receiving a notification from a software component of the consumer computer system, the notification describing at least a desire for software that meets certain criteria;
an act of comparing the certain criteria against the first set of one or more candidates; and
an act of returning information identifying a second set of one or more candidates from the first set of one or more candidates based on the comparison, the second set of one or more candidates including at least one candidate capable of providing the specific software module. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. In a computer network that includes a plurality of computer systems including a set of provider computer systems that are configured to provide software, and a set of one or more consumer computer systems that are configured to use software, the set of provider computer systems including a provider computer system that is configured to provide or previously provided a specific software module, the set of consumer computer systems including a consumer computer system that is configured to use the specific software module, a method for facilitating the consumer computer system accessing the specific software module, the method comprising the following:
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an act of receiving a notification from a software component of the consumer computer system, the notification describing at least a desire for software that meets certain criteria; and
a step for automatically acquiring the specific software module in response to the notification. - View Dependent Claims (14)
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15. A computer program product for use in a computer network that includes a plurality of computer systems including a set of provider computer systems that are configured to provide software, and a set of one or more consumer computer systems that are configured to use software, the set of provider computer systems including a provider computer system that is configured to provide or previously provided a specific software module, the set of consumer computer systems including a consumer computer system that is configured to use the specific software module, the computer program product for implementing a method for facilitating the consumer computer system accessing the specific software module, the computer-program product comprising one or more computer-readable media having stored thereon the following:
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computer-executable instructions for detecting the receipt of a notification from a software component of the consumer computer system, the notification describing at least a desire for software that meets certain criteria;
computer-executable instructions for gathering a first set of one or more candidates for software that may potentially fulfill at least some of the certain criteria;
computer-executable instructions for comparing the certain criteria against the first set of one or more candidates; and
computer-executable instructions for causing to be returned information identifying a second set of one or more candidates from the first set of one or more candidates based on the comparison, the information identifying at least one candidate capable of providing the specific software module. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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17. In a computer network that includes a plurality of computer systems including a set of provider computer systems that are configured to provide software, and a set of one or more consumer computer systems that are configured to use software, the set of provider computer systems including a provider computer system that is configured to provide or previously provided a specific software module, the set of consumer computer systems including a consumer computer system that is configured to use the specific software module, the computer network also comprising a server that facilitates the consumer computer system accessing the specific software module, a method for facilitating the consumer computer system accessing the specific software module, the method comprising the following:
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an act of the server receiving a notification from the consumer computer system describing at least a desire for software that meets certain criteria;
an act of the server automatically, and without real-time user intervention, gathering a first set of one or more candidates for software that may potentially fulfill at least some of the certain criteria;
an act of the server comparing the certain criteria against the first set of one or more candidates; and
an act of the server returning information to the consumer computer system, the information identifying a second set of one or more candidates from the first set of one or more candidates based on the comparison, the information identifying at least one candidate capable of providing the specific software module. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A computer program product for use in a computer network that includes a plurality of computer systems including a set of provider computer systems that are configured to provide software, and a set of one or more consumer computer systems that are configured to use software, the set of provider computer systems including a provider computer system that is configured to provide or previously provided a specific software module, the set of consumer computer systems including a consumer computer system that is configured to use the specific software module, the computer network also comprising a server that facilitates the consumer computer system accessing the specific software module, the computer program product for implementing a method for facilitating the consumer computer system accessing the specific software module, the computer program product comprising one or more computer-readable media having stored thereon the following:
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computer-executable instructions for detecting the receipt of a notification from the consumer computer system describing at least a desire for software that meets certain criteria;
computer-executable instructions for gathering a first set of one or more candidates for software that may potentially fulfill at least some of the certain criteria;
computer-executable instructions for comparing the certain criteria against the first set of one or more candidates; and
computer-executable instructions for returning information to the consumer computer system, the information identifying a second set of one or more candidates from the first set of one or more candidates based on the comparison, the information identifying at least one candidate capable of providing the specific software module. - View Dependent Claims (33)
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34. A computer program product for use in a computer network that includes a plurality of computer systems including a set of provider computer systems that are configured to provide software, and a set of one or more consumer computer systems that are configured to use software, the set of provider computer systems including a provider computer system that is configured to provide or previously provided a specific software module, the set of consumer computer systems including a consumer computer system that is configured to use the specific software module, the computer network also comprising a server that facilitates the consumer computer system accessing the specific software module, the computer program product for implementing a method for facilitating the consumer computer system accessing the specific software module, the computer program product comprising one or more computer-readable media having stored thereon the following:
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computer-executable instructions for causing a first request for software that meets certain criteria to be issued, wherein the specific software module meets the certain criteria;
computer-executable instructions for detecting the receipt of candidate provider computer systems that may potentially be able to supply the specific software module;
computer-executable instructions for issuing a second request to one of the candidate provider computer systems for the specific software module; and
computer-executable instructions for detecting the receipt of the specific software module from the candidate provider computer system that the second request was issued to. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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Specification