Services of remote software installation, configuration and afterward support, for network connected

• US 20060031832A1
• Filed: 08/05/2004
• Published: 02/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Kishida, Akira
• Granted Patent: US 7,363,623 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/176
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation

Abstract

A method and system for installing and configuring software for a peripheral device from a remote location to a user'"'"'s computer. The method and system comprise connecting to an Internet site via a client device, selecting an item displayed on the Internet site, providing at least one location where the item can be obtained, wherein the at least one location is remote from the client device'"'"'s location and the item is situated at the at least one location, establishing a temporary secure connection between the client device and the at least one location, installing and configuring software on the client device from the least one location via the temporary secure connection, and controlling the item from the at least one location via the software installed and configured on the client device.

Claims

1. A method for remotely installing and configuring software, comprising the steps of:

connecting to an Internet site via a client device;

selecting an item displayed on the Internet site;

providing at least one location where the item can be obtained, wherein the at least one location is remote from the client device'"'"'s location and the item is situated at the at least one location;

establishing a temporary secure connection between the client device and the at least one location;

installing and configuring software on the client device from the least one location via the temporary secure connection;

controlling the item from the at least one location via the software installed and configured on the client device.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the item is a peripheral device.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the Internet site is a vendor'"'"'s Internet site.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein the at least one location is a physical location of the vendor.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the temporary secure connection is a virtual private network.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the software is installed and configured using a remote desktop software application.

7. A system for remotely installing and configuring software, comprising:

connecting means for connecting to an Internet site via a client device;

selecting means for selecting an item displayed on the Internet site;

providing means for providing at least one location where the item can be obtained, wherein the at least one location is remote from the client device'"'"'s location and the item is situated at the at least one location;

establishing means for establishing a temporary secure connection between the client device and the at least one location;

installing and configuring means for installing and configuring software on the client device from the least one location via the temporary secure connection;

controlling means for controlling the item from the at least one location via the software installed and configured on the client device.

8. A system according to claim 7, wherein the item is a peripheral device.

9. A system according to claim 7, wherein the Internet site is a vendor'"'"'s Internet site.

10. A system according to claim 9, wherein the at least one location is a physical location of the vendor.

11. A system according to claim 7, wherein the temporary secure connection is a virtual private network.

12. A system according to claim 7, wherein the software is installed and configured using a remote desktop software application.

13. Computer-executable process steps stored on a computer-readable medium, the computer-executable process steps to remotely install and configure software, said computer-executable process steps comprising:

code to connect to an Internet site via a client device;

code to select an item displayed on the Internet site;

code to provide at least one location where the item can be obtained,

wherein the at least one location is remote from the client device'"'"'s location and the item is situated at the at least one location;

code to establish a temporary connection between the client device and the at least one location;

code to install and configure software on the client device from the at least one location via the temporary secure connection; and

code to control the item from the at least one location via the software installed and configured on the client device.

14. Computer-executable process steps according to claim 13, wherein the item is a peripheral device.

15. Computer-executable process steps according to claim 13, wherein the Internet site is a vendor'"'"'s Internet site.

16. Computer-executable process steps according to claim 13, wherein the temporary secure connection is a virtual private network.

17. A computer-readable memory medium which stores computer-executable process steps, the computer-executable process steps for remotely installing and configuring software, said computer-executable process steps comprising:

a connecting step to connect an Internet site via a client device;

a selecting step to select an item displayed on the Internet site;

a providing step to provide at least one location where the item can be obtained, wherein the at least one location is remote from the client device'"'"'s location and the item is situated at the at least one location;

an establishing step to establish a temporary connection between the client device and the at least one location;

an installing and configuring step to install and configure software on the client device from the at least one location via the temporary secure connection; and

a controlling step to control the item from the at least one location via the software installed and configured on the client device.

18. Computer-executable process steps according to claim 17, wherein the item is a peripheral device.

19. Computer-executable process steps according to claim 17, wherein the Internet site is a vendor'"'"'s Internet site.

20. Computer-executable process steps according to claim 17, wherein the temporary secure connection is a virtual private network.