Device-to-device software distribution

• US 20060048141A1
• Filed: 08/24/2004
• Published: 03/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Persson, Per, Jung, Younghee, Lundin, Jim
• Granted Patent: US 7,779,409 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/176
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation

Abstract

A method and corresponding equipment by which software (11c) on a first device (11) is virally or otherwise distributed to a second device (12), in which the first device (11) and second device (12) and possibly also a server (16) of the software (11c) exchange information sufficient for the first device (11) to determine whether it includes or stores a version of the software (22c) compatible with the second device (12), and if so, then provides a compatible version, but otherwise exchanges information with the second device sufficient for the second device to obtain a copy from the server (16).

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

a step in which a first device exchanges information with a second device indicating a software application hosted on the first device; and

a step in which the first device provides to the second device either a copy of the software application or information about where to download the software application depending on compatibility information provided by the second device indicating whether the second device is compatible with any version of the software application stored on the first device.

2. A method as in claim 1, wherein the compatibility information is obtained by the first device sending a query to the second device asking for the compatibility information.

3. A method as in claim 2, wherein the query includes a command to the operating system of the second device prompting a response providing the compatibility information.

4. A method as in claim 1, wherein in response to the compatibility information, the first device determines whether the second device is compatible based on information stored on the first device.

5. A method as in claim 1, wherein in response to the compatibility information, the first device determines whether the second device is compatible by referring to information stored on another device.

6. A method as in claim 1, wherein the compatibility information is obtained by the first device sending a query to the second device asking for an indication of compatibility and including information about the first device.

7. A method as in claim 6, wherein in response to the query, the second device either itself provides an indication of compatibility or else obtains an indication of compatibility from a source of compatibility information and forwards the indication of compatibility to the first device.

8. A method as in claim 1, wherein if the compatibility information indicates that the second device is not compatible, then the first device refers to information stored on the first device to determine an address where a compatible version of the software application can be downloaded and provides the address to the second device.

9. A method as in claim 1, wherein if the compatibility information indicates that the second device is not compatible, then the first device internally generates an address where a compatible version of the software application can be downloaded and provides the address to the second device.

10. A method as in claim 1, wherein if the compatibility information indicates that the second device is not compatible, then the first device connects to a source of download address information and obtains an address where a compatible version of the software application can be downloaded and then provides the address to the second device.

11. A method as in claim 1, wherein if the compatibility information indicates that the second device is not compatible, then the first device sends to the second device an address of a server, the second device connects to the server, and the server analyzes the second device, determines which version or versions of the software application are compatible, and either provides a compatible version of the software application or provides an address where a compatible version can be downloaded.

12. A method as in claim 1, wherein the first device and the second device communicate wirelessly.

13. A method as in claim 1, wherein the first device and the second device communicate using a short-range wireless link.

14. A method as in claim 1, wherein the first device and the second device communicate using a cellular link.

15. A method as in claim 1, wherein the first device and the second device communicate over a path that includes the Internet.

16. A computer program product comprising:

a computer readable storage structure embodying computer program code thereon for execution by a computer processor, with said computer program code characterized in that it includes instructions for performing the steps of the method of claim 1.

17. A device, comprising:

means for exchanging with another device information indicating a software application hosted on the device; and

means by which the device provides to the other device either a copy of the software application or information about where to download the software application depending on compatibility information received from the other device indicating whether the other device is compatible with any version of the software application stored on the device.

18. A device as in claim 17, wherein the compatibility information is obtained by the first device sending a query to the second device asking for the compatibility information.

19. A device as in claim 18, wherein the query includes a command to the operating system of the second device prompting a response providing the compatibility information.

20. A device as in claim 17, further comprising means for determining whether the second device is compatible based on the compatibility information and also based on information stored on the first device.

21. A device as in claim 17, the first device further comprises means, responsive to the compatibility information, for determining whether the second device is compatible by referring to information stored on another device.

22. A device as in claim 17, further comprising means for obtaining the compatibility information by sending a query to the second device asking for an indication of compatibility and including information about the first device.

25. A system, comprising:

a first device as in claim 17;

and

a second device, adapted for exchanging the compatibility information with the first device, and for receiving information indicating where the software application can be obtained or for receiving the software application, depending on whether the compatibility information indicates the second device is compatible with any version of the software application stored on the first device.

26. A system as in claim 25, further comprising a server, for providing a compatible version of the software application.

27. A system as in claim 26, wherein the server analyzes the second device to determine compatibility, and if the second device is found to be compatible with a version of the software application available from the server, then the server provides to the second device a compatible version of the software.

23. A device, comprising:

means for receiving from another device information indicating a software application hosted on the other device; and

means for exchanging compatibility information with the other device for indicating whether the device is compatible with any version of the software application stored on the other device, and for receiving information indicating where the software application can be obtained or for receiving the software application, depending on whether the compatibility information indicates the device is compatible with any version of the software application stored on the other device.

24. A device as in claim 23, wherein in response to a query asking for an indication of compatibility and including information about the other device, the device either itself provides an indication of compatibility or else obtains an indication of compatibility from a source of compatibility information and forwards the indication of compatibility to the other device.