SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING COMPUTER UPGRADE INFORMATION

• US 20070180052A1
• Filed: 12/19/2006
• Published: 08/02/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Inventors: Zomaya, Christ
• Granted Patent: US 9,009,698 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/64 Retargetable
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/082 the condition being updates or upgrades of network functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0853 by actively collecting configuration information or by backing up configuration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed which provide upgrade information for at least one computer. The method includes the steps of executing an upgrade program stored in a computer-readable medium on the at least one computer, detecting a current hardware configuration of the at least one computer, cross-referencing at least some of the information gathered during the detecting step with product specifications contained in a database, identifying an upgrade package for upgrading the at least one computer, wherein the identification of the upgrade package is based at least partially upon the information gathered during the detecting step and cross-referenced with the product specification database, and recommending use of the upgrade package for upgrading the at least one computer. The system and method may be used to provide upgrade information on a plurality of networked computers.

Claims

1. A method of providing upgrade information for a computer comprising the steps of:

providing a computer-readable medium external to a computer, wherein an upgrade program, a product information database comprising product specifications, and a technician ID are stored on the computer-readable medium;

establishing a communication link between the computer and the computer-readable medium;

detecting a current hardware configuration of the computer using the upgrade program;

cross-referencing at least some of the hardware configuration information gathered during the detecting step with the product specifications;

identifying an upgrade package for upgrading the computer, wherein the identification of the upgrade package is based at least partially upon the information cross-referenced with the product specifications; and

recommending use of the upgrade package for upgrading the computer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein information representing the recommended upgrade package is stored on the computer, along with the technician ID.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein a link to a website associated with the technician ID is stored on the computer.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein information representing the recommended upgrade package is stored on the external device, along with the technician ID.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the external computer-readable medium is a flash memory device.

6. A method of providing upgrade information for a plurality of networked computers comprising the steps of:

providing a computer-readable medium external to a computer, wherein an upgrade program, a product information database comprising product specifications, and a technician ID are stored on the computer-readable medium, and the computer is part of a plurality of networked computers;

establishing a communication link between the computer and the computer-readable medium;

detecting a current hardware configuration of the plurality of networked computers;

cross-referencing at least some of the hardware configuration information gathered during the detecting step for each of the plurality of networked computers, with the product specifications;

identifying an upgrade package for one of the plurality of networked computers, wherein the identification of the upgrade package is based at least partially upon the information cross-referenced with the product specifications; and

recommending use of the upgrade package for one of the plurality of networked computers.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein a single target hardware configuration is established for each of the plurality of networked computers.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of packaging one or more hardware components of the upgrade package, wherein a single package is used for each computer in the plurality of networked computers where upgrading was recommended.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein information representing the recommended upgrade package is stored on the computer, along with the technician ID.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein a link to a website associated with the technician ID is stored on the computer.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein information representing the recommended upgrade package is stored on the external device, along with the technician ID.

12. The method of claim 6, wherein the external computer-readable medium is a flash memory device.