System and method for updating files utilizing delta compression patching

• US 20050132382A1
• Filed: 12/15/2003
• Published: 06/16/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Williams, Peter, Henderson, Gary, Sliger, Michael V., Mohammed, Mazhar, Cheng, Derek, McGuire, Thomas D., Menzies, Derek P.
• Granted Patent: US 7,509,636 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 719/311
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/658 Incremental updates; Differential updates

Abstract

A system and method for updating one or more files on a computing device are provided. A client computing device obtains update information including an index identifying particular delta patches with specific versions of installed files. Upon selecting which of the applicable updates will be implemented, an update agent on the client computing device performs an inventory to identify which version a file to be updated is installed on the machine. The update agent selects a corresponding delta patch and transmits the request to an update service.

Claims

1. In a computer system including at least one client computing device in communication with a software update service, a method for updating data on the client computing device, the method comprising:

obtaining a selection of one or more available software updates for updating one or more files installed on the client computing device;

obtaining an index identifying a plurality of delta patches, wherein each delta patch corresponds to at least one version of an installed file;

obtaining an inventory of the one or more files installed on the client computing device;

selecting one or more applicable delta patches to implement the selected software updates, wherein selecting the one or more applicable patches corresponds to a mapping of the index identifying the plurality of delta patches to the inventory of the one or more files installed on the client computing device; and

requesting the one or more selected delta patches.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein obtaining a selection of one or more available software updates includes obtaining a manual selection of one or more available software updates.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein obtaining a selection of one or more available software updates includes obtaining an automatic selection of one or more available software updates.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the software update service includes a file having a selection of available delta patches and wherein the index corresponds to identification of particular storage location for each of the selection of available delta patches.

5. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein requesting the one or more selected delta patches includes requesting a specific delta patch from the file by identifying the particular storage location of the requested delta patch.

6. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein requesting the one or more selected delta patches includes requesting a set of specific delta patches from the file by identifying the particular storage locations of each requested delta patch.

7. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

obtaining the requested delta patch;

merging the delta patch with a corresponding installed file to generate an updated file; and

installing the updated file.

8. The method as recited in claim 7 further comprising:

validating the updated file prior to installing the updated file; and

restoring a previous version of the updated file if the updated file is not validated.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein requesting the one or more selected delta patches includes transmitting a foreground request for the selected delta patches.

10. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein requesting the one or more selected delta patches includes transmitting a background request for the selected delta patches.

11. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein obtaining an inventory of the one or more files installed on the client computing device includes obtaining a cached inventory of the one or more files installed on the client computing device.

12. A computer-readable medium having computer executable instructions for performing the method recited in claim 1.

13. A computer system having a processor, a memory and an operating environment, the computer system operable to perform the method recited in claim 1.

14. In a computer system including at least one client computing device in communication with a software update service, a method for updating data on the client computing device, the method comprising:

obtaining a selection of one or more available software updates for updating one or more files installed on the client computing device;

obtaining a package identifying a plurality of available delta patches for updating at least one version of an installed file;

obtaining an inventory of the one or more files installed on the client computing device;

selecting one or more applicable delta patches to implement the selected software updates, wherein selecting the one or more applicable patches corresponds to a mapping of the package identifying the plurality of available delta patches to the inventory of the one or more files installed on the client computing device; and

transmitting a request for one or more selected delta patches.

15. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein obtaining a selection of one or more available software updates includes obtaining a manual selection of one or more available software updates.

16. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein obtaining a selection of one or more available software updates includes obtaining an automatic selection of one or more available software updates.

17. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein the software update service includes a patch storage file having a selection of available delta patches and wherein the package includes a patch storage manifest that identifies a particular storage location for each of the selection of available delta patches.

18. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein requesting the one or more selected delta patches includes requesting a specific delta patch from the patch storage file by identifying the particular storage location of the requested delta patch.

19. The method as recited in claim 18, transmitting a request for one or more selected delta patches includes transmitting a request for a set of specific delta patches from the patch storage file by identifying the particular storage locations of each requested delta patch.

20. The method as recited in claim 14 further comprising:

obtaining the requested delta patch;

merging the delta patch with a corresponding installed file to generate an updated file; and

installing the updated file.

21. The method as recited in claim 20, wherein the package includes verification information, the method further comprising:

validating the updated file prior to installing the updated file; and

restoring a previous version of the updated file if the updated file is not validated.

22. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein requesting the one or more selected delta patches includes transmitting a foreground request for the selected delta patches.

23. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein requesting the one or more selected delta patches includes transmitting a background request for the selected delta patches.

24. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein obtaining an inventory of the one or more files installed on the client computing device includes obtaining a cached inventory of the one or more files installed on the client computing device.

25. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein the package includes an installation component update, the method further comprising updating an installation component on the client computing device from the installation component update.

26. The method as recited in claim 25, wherein the installation component update is an installation component delta patch.

27. A computer-readable medium having computer executable instructions for performing the method recited in claim 14.

28. A computer system having a processor, a memory and an operating environment, the computer system operable to perform the method recited in claim 14.

29. In a computer system including at least one client computing device in communication with a software update service, a method for updating data on the client computing device, the method comprising:

obtaining a selection of one or more available software updates for updating one or more files installed on the client computing device;

obtaining an index identifying a plurality of delta patches, wherein each delta patch corresponds to at least one version of an installed file;

obtaining an inventory of the one or more files installed on the client computing device;

selecting one or more applicable delta patches to implement the selected software updates, wherein selecting the one or more applicable patches corresponds to a mapping of the index identifying the plurality of delta patches to the inventory of the one or more files installed on the client computing device;

requesting the one or more selected delta patches;

obtaining the requested delta patch;

merging the delta patch with a corresponding installed file to generate an updated file; and

installing the updated file.

30. The method as recited in claim 29, wherein obtaining a selection of one or more available software updates includes obtaining a manual selection of one or more available software updates.

31. The method as recited in claim 29, wherein obtaining a selection of one or more available software updates includes obtaining an automatic selection of one or more available software updates.

32. The method as recited in claim 29, wherein the software update service includes a file having a selection of available delta patches and wherein the index corresponds to identification of particular storage location for each of the selection of available delta patches.

33. The method as recited in claim 32, wherein requesting the one or more selected delta patches includes requesting a specific delta patch from the file by identifying the particular storage location of the requested delta patch.

34. The method as recited in claim 32, wherein requesting the one or more selected delta patches includes requesting a set of specific delta patches from the file by identifying the particular storage locations of each requested delta patch.

35. The method as recited in claim 29 further comprising:

validating the updated file prior to installing the updated file; and

restoring a previous version of the updated file if the updated file is not validated.

36. The method as recited in claim 29, wherein requesting the one or more selected delta patches includes transmitting a foreground request for the selected delta patches.

37. The method as recited in claim 29, wherein requesting the one or more selected delta patches includes transmitting a background request for the selected delta patches.

38. The method as recited in claim 29, wherein obtaining an inventory of the one or more files installed on the client computing device includes obtaining a cached inventory of the one or more files installed on the client computing device.

39. A computer-readable medium having computer executable instructions for performing the method recited in claim 29.

40. A computer system having a processor, a memory and an operating environment, the computer system operable to perform the method recited in claim 29.