Systems and methods for updating software

• US 20040088694A1
• Filed: 10/31/2002
• Published: 05/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Ho, Stanley M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,814,476 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/170
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/658 Incremental updates; Differential updates

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed for updating a software program through base image patching. In an exemplary method for base image patching, the method includes receiving a patch, retrieving a base image, wherein the base image corresponds to a base version of a software program, and combining the base image with the patch to create an updated program. In another exemplary method, the method includes receiving an updating patch, wherein the updating patch is used to create an updated software program, retrieving a patch from a repository, wherein the patch is a previous update to a stored program, distilling a base image of the stored program using the previous patch, combining the base image with the updating patch to create an updated program, and replacing the stored program with the updated program.

Claims

7. A method comprising:

installing a program in a workstation;

storing a base image of the program in a repository associated with the workstation, wherein the base image corresponds to a base version of the program for performing updates;

receiving an updating patch for the program;

retrieving the base image from the repository;

combining the base image with the updating patch to create an updated program;

replacing the installed program with the updated program;

updating a registry with information about the updated program; and

running the updated program, which is a combination of the base image and the updated patch.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein installing a program further includes:

retrieving a base image and a patch installer, wherein the patch installer includes a patch; and

generating the program, wherein the program is the combination of the base image and the patch created by the patch installer.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the repository is a storage location.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the storage location is a network location accessible to the workstation.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the storage location is a local location of the workstation.

12. A method for updating a software program, comprising:

receiving an updating patch to update the software program;

retrieving a stored patch from a repository, wherein the stored patch is a previous update to the software program;

distilling a base image of the software program using the stored patch;

combining the base image with the updating patch to create an updated software program; and

replacing the software program the updated software program.

1. A method for updating a stored program on a user device, comprising:

receiving an updating patch;

retrieving a base image, wherein the base image corresponds to a base version of the stored program for performing updates; and

combining the base image with the patch to create an updated program.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

replacing the stored program with the updated program.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the updated program is a specific version of the stored program.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the base image is stored in a repository associated with the user device.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein retrieving a base image further comprises retrieving the base image from the repository.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving an updating patch further comprises:

receiving notification of an update;

checking if the update has been performed; and

receiving the patch if the update has not yet been performed.

13. A method for updating a program on a user device, comprising:

installing a base image and a patch on the user device, wherein the combination of the base image and the patch is the program;

receiving an updating patch and replacing the installed patch with the updating patch; and

running an updated program on the user device by combining the base image and the updated patch.

14. A system for updating a software program, comprising:

means for receiving a patch;

means for retrieving a base image, wherein the base image is a base version of the software program for performing updates;

means for combining the base image with the patch to create an updated program; and

means for updating a registry with the updated program information.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the means for generating the patch comprises means for using a patch generation process to compare the base image to the updated program.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the means for combining the base image with the patch comprises means for using a patch installer to locate the base image and apply the patch to the base image.

13-1. The system of claim 12, wherein the means for receiving a patch includes means for receiving notification of an update, means for checking if the update has been performed, and means for generating the patch if the update has not yet been performed.

14-2. The system of claim 13, wherein the means for checking if the update has been performed comprises a version text file.

17. A computer-readable medium that stores instructions, which when executed by a computer device perform steps in a method for updating a program, the method comprising:

receiving a patch;

retrieving a base image, wherein the base image is a base version of the program;

combining the base image with the patch to create an updated program; and

replacing the program with the updated program.

18. A method for updating a software program on a user device, comprising:

determining if a base image of the software program exists for the user device;

if a base image exists, copying the base image from a repository into a temp directory associated with the user device;

retrieving an updating patch and applying the patch to the base image in the temp directory to create an updated image of the software program;

swapping the updated image of the software program in the temp directory with a current image of the software program to provide the update image for the user device; and

removing the temp directory.

19. A method according to claim 18, wherein the method further comprises copying the current image of the software program into the repository to provide the base image when it is determined that a base image does not exist.

20. A method according to claim 19, wherein the program is a Java™

Runtime Environment (JRE) program.