Software distribution over a network

• US 20070073846A1
• Filed: 08/31/2006
• Published: 03/29/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/1994
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TMI Solutions LLC (Strategic Intellectual Solutions, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Twintech E.U.
• Inventors: Reisman, Richard
• Granted Patent: US 8,024,399 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/025 Coordination of plural reservations, e.g. plural trip segments, transportation combined with accommodation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/067 Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0609 Buyer or seller confidence or verification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0623 Item investigation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0635 Processing of requisition or of purchase orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/123 Tax preparation or submission
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 8/18 Address timing or clocking circuits; Address control signal generation or management, e.g. for row address strobe [RAS] or column address strobe [CAS] signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/00 Network arrangements or protocols for supporting network services or applications user-to-user messaging H04L51/00; network arrangements, protocols or services for supporting real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99944 Object-oriented database structure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

Methods, systems, and computer program products for software distribution include providing and receiving application-specific information, services, and software component elements over a network.

Claims

1. A computer program product comprising a computer readable medium having computer logic recorded thereon that causes a computer server system to provide one or more software component elements to a client station connected thereto over a communications network, the computer program logic comprising:

a client station interface function that causes the computer server system to recognize a request for a particular application function to be performed on behalf of the client station, and

a transport function that causes the computer server system to provide the client station one or more software component elements;

wherein the one or more software component elements enable at least one of user interface and data access functions in a multi-application software package operated at the client, wherein the multi-application software package is usable in communication with a plurality of independently operated computer server systems, each of said server systems providing different respective application functions offered by independent application function providers; and

wherein the one or more software component elements are automatically downloaded from the computer server system to the client station, when said particular application function in the multi-application software package is requested.

2. The computer program product according to claim 1, wherein the one or more software component elements are application function-specific.

3. The computer program product according to claim 1, wherein the one or more software component elements are provided on behalf of an application provider.

4. The computer program product according to claim 1, wherein the one or more software component elements are provided on behalf of a publisher.

5. The computer program product according to claim 1, wherein the one or more software component elements are provided on behalf of the computer server system operator.

6. The computer program product according to claim 1, wherein the one or more software component elements are provided on behalf of an online service provider.

7. The computer program product according to claim 1;

wherein the client comprises a transport component, said transport component allowing the client to connect to one or more servers independently operated on behalf of independent application function providers in support of application functions enabled by the multi-application software package.

8. The computer program product according to claim 1, wherein the computer program logic further comprises:

a second transport function that causes the computer server system to provide application-specific data or services to the client, in response to a particular application function in the multi-application software package being invoked by the client.

9. The computer program product according to claim 1, wherein the one or more software component elements are downloaded once.

10. The computer program product according to claim 1, wherein the one or more software component elements are downloaded once and retained for further use.

11. The computer program product according to claim 1, wherein the one or more software component elements are automatically deleted after download and use by said multi-application software package.

12. The computer program product according to claim 1, wherein the one or more software components element are reusable.

13. The computer program product according to claim 1, wherein the one or more software component elements enable applet-like functionality in the multi-application software package.

14. The computer program product according to claim 1, wherein the one or more software component elements comprise applets.

15. The computer program product according to claim 1, wherein the one or more software component elements comprise ActiveX controls.

16. The computer program product according to claim 1, wherein the one or more software component elements comprise scripts.

17. The computer program product according to claim 1, wherein the one or more software component elements comprise Flash controls.

18. The computer program product according to claim 1, wherein the one or more software components elements are alternatively physically distributed on one or more of a fixed or removable storage medium.

19. The computer program product according to claim 1, wherein the one or more software component elements each comprise one or more of:

a user interface control element;

a user interface presentation element;

a multimedia presentation and/or control element;

a database processing element;

a data access element; and

a data transport element.

20. The computer program product according to claim 7, wherein the transport component is integrated with the multi-application software package.

21. A computer-implemented method program to provide one or more software component elements from a computer server system to a client station connected thereto over a communications network, the method comprising:

receiving a request for a particular application function to be performed on behalf of the client station, and

providing the client station one or more software component elements;

wherein the one or more software component elements enable at least one of user interface and data access functions in a multi-application software package operated at the client station, wherein the multi-application software package is usable in communication with a plurality of independently operated computer server systems, each of said server systems providing different respective application functions offered by independent application function providers; and

wherein the one or more software component elements are automatically downloaded from the computer server system to the client station, when said particular application function in the multi-application software package is requested.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein the one or more software component elements are application function-specific.

23. The method according to claim 21, wherein the one or more software component elements are provided on behalf of an application provider.

24. The method according to claim 21, wherein the one or more software component elements are provided on behalf of a publisher.

25. The method according to claim 21, wherein the one or more software component elements are provided on behalf of the computer server system operator.

26. The method according to claim 21, wherein the one or more software component elements are provided on behalf of an online service provider.

27. The method according to claim 21, wherein the client station connects using a transport component to one or more servers independently operated on behalf of independent application function providers in support of application functions enabled by the multi-application software package.

28. The method according to claim 21, further comprising:

providing application-specific data or services to the client station, in response to a particular application function in the multi-application software package being invoked by the client.

29. The method according to claim 21, wherein the one or more software component elements are downloaded once.

30. The method according to claim 21, wherein the one or more software component elements are downloaded once and retained for further use.

31. The method according to claim 21, wherein the one or more software component elements are automatically deleted after download and use by said multi-application software package.

32. The method according to claim 21, wherein the one or more software components element are reusable.

33. The method according to claim 21, wherein the one or more software component elements enable applet-like functionality in the multi-application software package.

34. The method according to claim 21, wherein the one or more software component elements comprise applets.

35. The method according to claim 21, wherein the one or more software component elements comprise ActiveX controls.

36. The method according to claim 21, wherein the one or more software component elements comprise scripts.

37. The method according to claim 21, wherein the one or more software component elements comprise Flash controls.

38. The method according to claim 21, wherein the one or more software components elements are alternatively physically distributed on one or more of a fixed or removable storage medium.

39. The method according to claim 21, wherein the one or more software component elements each comprise one or more of:

a user interface control element;

a user interface presentation element;

a multimedia presentation and/or control element;

a database processing element;

a data access element; and

a data transport element.

40. The method according to claim 27, wherein the transport component is integrated with the multi-application software package.

41. An apparatus for providing one or more software component elements to a client station over a communications network, the apparatus comprising:

a client station interface configured to recognize a request for a particular application function to be performed on behalf of the client station, and

a transport module configured to provide the client one or more software component elements;

wherein the one or more software component elements enable at least one of user interface and data access functions in a multi-application software package operated at the client, wherein the multi-application software package is usable in communication with a plurality of independently operated computer server systems, each of said server systems providing different respective application functions offered by independent application function providers; and

wherein the one or more software component elements are automatically downloaded from to the client station, when said particular application function in the multi-application software package is requested.

42. The apparatus according to claim 41, wherein the one or more software component elements are application function-specific.

43. The apparatus according to claim 41, wherein the one or more software component elements are provided on behalf of an application provider.

44. The apparatus according to claim 41, wherein the one or more software component elements are provided on behalf of a publisher.

45. The apparatus according to claim 41, wherein the one or more software component elements are provided on behalf of a computer server system operator.

46. The apparatus according to claim 41, wherein the one or more software component elements are provided on behalf of an online service provider.

47. The apparatus according to claim 41, wherein the client comprises a transport component, said transport component allowing the client to connect to one or more servers independently operated on behalf of independent application function providers in support of application functions enabled by the multi-application software package.

48. The apparatus according to claim 41, further comprising:

a second transport module configured to provide application-specific data or services to the client, in response to a particular application function in the multi-application software package being invoked by the client.

49. The apparatus according to claim 41, wherein the one or more software component elements are downloaded once.

50. The apparatus according to claim 41, wherein the one or more software component elements are downloaded once and retained for further use.

51. The apparatus according to claim 41, wherein the one or more software component elements are automatically deleted after download and use by said multi-application software package.

52. The apparatus according to claim 41, wherein the one or more software components element are reusable.

53. The apparatus according to claim 41, wherein the one or more software component elements enable applet-like functionality in the multi-application software package.

54. The apparatus according to claim 41, wherein the one or more software component elements comprise applets.

55. The apparatus according to claim 41, wherein the one or more software component elements comprise ActiveX controls.

56. The apparatus according to claim 41, wherein the one or more software component elements comprise scripts.

57. The apparatus according to claim 41, wherein the one or more software component elements comprise Flash controls.

58. The apparatus according to claim 41, wherein the one or more software components elements are alternatively physically distributed on one or more of a fixed or removable storage medium.

59. The apparatus according to claim 41, wherein the one or more software component elements each comprise one or more of:

a user interface control element;

a user interface presentation element;

a multimedia presentation and/or control element;

a database processing element;

a data access element; and

a data transport element.

60. The apparatus according to claim 47, wherein the transport component is integrated with the multi-application software package.