Software install program product, installation method, and software install system

• US 20050066325A1
• Filed: 09/08/2004
• Published: 03/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Mori, Hiromi, Suzuki, Tomohiro
• Granted Patent: US 7,805,722 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/174
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation

Abstract

A software install program product causes a computer to execute: acquiring version information of an operating system used with the computer; acquiring compatible OS information of the software program stored in the recording medium; determining whether or not the operating system is a compatible operating system corresponding to the compatible OS information based on the compatible OS information and the version information; determining that the software program can be installed in the computer if determined that the operating system is the compatible operating system; acquiring location information stored in the recording medium if determined that the operating system is not the compatible operating system; accessing a database server on a network based on the location information; acquiring installation information stored in the database server; determining whether or not the software program can be installed in the computer based on the installation information; and installing the software program into the computer if determined that the software program can be installed in the computer.

Claims

1. A software install program product for installing a software program recorded on a computer-readable recording medium into a computer, the program product for causing the computer to execute:

acquiring version information of an operating system used with the computer;

acquiring compatible OS information of the software program stored in the recording medium;

determining whether or not the operating system is a compatible operating system corresponding to the compatible OS information based on the compatible OS information and the version information;

determining that the software program can be installed in the computer if determined that the operating system is the compatible operating system;

acquiring location information stored in the recording medium if determined that the operating system is not the compatible operating system;

accessing a database server on a network based on the location information;

acquiring installation information stored in the database server;

determining whether or not the software program can be installed in the computer based on the installation information; and

installing the software program into the computer if determined that the software program can be installed in the computer.

2. The program product according to claim 1, further causing the computer to execute downloading from the database server a new software program corresponding to the version information of the operating system or operation information for installing the software program, if determined that the software program cannot be installed into the computer.

3. The program product according to claim 2, further causing the computer to execute installing the software program using the new software program or the operation information.

4. The program product according to claim 1, further causing the computer to execute notifying a user that the software program cannot be installed into the computer, if determined that the software program cannot be installed into the computer.

5. The program product according to claim 1, further causing the computer to execute determining that the software program cannot be installed into the computer, if the installation information cannot be referenced.

6. The program product according to claim 1, further causing the computer to execute canceling the installation of the software program, if determined that the software program cannot be installed into the computer.

7. The program product according to claim 1, wherein the software program includes a printer driver or a scanner driver.

8. The program product according to claim 1, wherein the program product is recorded in the recording medium.

9. A software install program product for installing a software program recorded on a computer-readable recording medium into a computer, the program product for causing the computer to execute:

acquiring version information of an operating system used with the computer;

acquiring location information stored in the recording medium;

accessing a database server on a network based on the location information;

acquiring compatible OS information stored in the database server;

determining whether or not the software program can be installed in the computer based on the compatible OS information and the version information; and

installing the software program into the computer if determined that the software program can be installed in the computer.

10. The program product according to claim 9, further causing the computer to execute downloading from the database server a new software program corresponding to the version information of the operating system or operation information for installing the software program, if determined that the software program cannot be installed into the computer.

11. The program product according to claim 10, further causing the computer to execute:

determining that the software program cannot be installed into the computer, when the database server contains newer software program than the software program recorded on the recording medium and corresponds to the version of the operating system or operation information for installing the software program; and

downloading the new software program or the new operation information from the database server.

12. The program product according to claim 9, further causing the computer to execute installing the software program using the new software program or the operation information.

13. The program product according to claim 9, further causing the computer to execute notifying a user that the software program cannot be installed into the computer, if determined that the software program cannot be installed into the computer.

14. The program product according to claim 9, further causing the computer to execute determining that the software program cannot be installed into the computer, if the installation information cannot be referenced.

15. The program product according to claim 9, further causing the computer to execute canceling the installation of the software program, if determined that the software program cannot be installed into the computer.

16. The program product according to claim 9, wherein the software program includes a printer driver or a scanner driver.

17. The program product according to claim 9, wherein the program product is recorded in the recording medium.

18. An installation method for installing a software program recorded on a computer-readable recording medium into a computer according to an install program recorded on the recording medium, the installation method comprising:

acquiring version information of an operating system used with the computer;

acquiring compatible OS information of the software program stored in the recording medium;

determining whether or not the operating system is a compatible operating system corresponding to the compatible OS information based on the compatible OS information and the version information;

determining that the software program can be installed in the computer if determined that the operating system is the compatible operating system;

acquiring location information stored in the recording medium if determined that the operating system is not the compatible operating system;

accessing a database server on a network based on the location information;

acquiring installation information stored in the database server;

determining whether or not the software program can be installed in the computer based on the installation information; and

installing the software program into the computer if determined that the software program can be installed in the computer.

19. An installation method for installing a software program recorded on a computer-readable recording medium into a computer according to an install program recorded on the recording medium, the installation method comprising:

acquiring version information of an operating system used with the computer;

acquiring location information stored in the recording medium;

accessing a database server on a network based on the location information;

acquiring compatible OS information stored in the database server;

determining whether or not the software program can be installed in the computer based on the compatible OS information and the version information; and

installing the software program into the computer if determined that the software program can be installed in the computer.

20. A software install system that installs a software program recorded on a computer-readable recording medium into a computer, the software install system comprising:

an OS version acquisition unit that acquires version information of an operating system used with the computer;

a compatible OS information acquisition unit that acquires compatible OS information of the software program stored in the recording medium;

a compatibility check unit that determines whether or not the operating system is a compatible operating system corresponding to the compatible OS information based on the compatible OS information and the version information;

a first determination unit that determines that the software program can be installed in the computer if determined that the operating system is the compatible operating system;

a location information acquisition unit that acquires location information stored in the recording medium if determined that the operating system is not the compatible operating system;

a communication unit that accesses a database server on a network based on the location information and acquires installation information stored in the database server;

a second determination unit that determines whether or not the software program can be installed in the computer based on the installation information; and

an installation unit that installs the software program into the computer if determined that the software program can be installed in the computer.

21. A software install system that installs a software program recorded on a computer-readable recording medium into a computer, the software install system comprising:

an OS version acquisition unit that acquires version information of an operating system used with the computer;

a location information acquisition unit that acquires location information stored in the recording medium;

a communication unit that accesses a database server on a network based on the location information and acquires compatible OS information stored in the database server;

a determination unit that determines whether or not the software program can be installed in the computer based on the compatible OS information and the version information; and

an installation unit that installs the software program into the computer if determined that the software program can be installed in the computer.