Apparatus and Program Product for Retrieving File Processing Software
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Abstract
A system, method, and program product for accessing or retrieving on a computer network the required software to process a file is disclosed. According to the invention, it is determined, when accessing a file, whether or not software required to process this file is already installed on the user'"'"'s computing device, depending upon the type of the file. If the required software is not installed on the user'"'"'s device, the address of a server from which this software can be downloaded or accessed through the network is extracted and decoded from the filename of the accessed file. A browser or file transfer program is launched on the user'"'"'s computing device and a request for the required software package is sent from the user'"'"'s computing device to the server corresponding to the decoded address from which it is downloaded or accessed. The software is then unpacked, if necessary, and installed so as to process the accessed file.
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Citations
39 Claims
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1-27. -27. (canceled)
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28. An apparatus coupled to a network and operable to receive program and data files via the network, wherein the apparatus has a program operable on the apparatus to implement a method comprising the steps of:
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receiving for a file, an address from which software required to process said file can be accessed, the received address being instantiated in a first format; encoding said received address, wherein the encoding includes converting said received address into an encoded address, the encoded address including a version of the received address and being instantiated in a second format, wherein the first format includes characters permitted for specifying a URL (Uniform Resource Locator) and the second format forbids at least some of the characters permitted in the first format; merging into a single filename i) a primary filename of said file, the primary filename being instantiated in the second format, and ii) the received address as encoded into the second format, wherein said primary filename and the encoded address are separated by at least one control character, wherein the single filename conforms to the second format; and renaming said file with said single filename. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A program product for locating and accessing software to process a file, the program product including a recordable storage medium having program code stored thereon for execution by a computer, wherein the program code, when executed by the computer, causes the computer to implement a method comprising the steps of:
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receiving for a file, an address from which software required to process said file can be accessed, the received address being instantiated in a first format; encoding said received address, wherein the encoding includes converting said received address into an encoded address, the encoded address including a version of the received address and being instantiated in a second format, wherein the first format includes characters permitted for specifying a URL (Uniform Resource Locator) and the second format forbids at least some of the characters permitted in the first format; merging into a single filename i) a primary filename of said file, the primary filename being instantiated in the second format, and ii) the received address as encoded into the second format, wherein said primary filename and the encoded address are separated by at least one control character, wherein the single filename conforms to the second format; and renaming said file with said single filename. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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Specification