Method and System for Adjusting Software Settings

• US 20090106266A1
• Filed: 02/28/2007
• Published: 04/23/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Mazzarotto, Tommaso, Donatelli, Alessandro, Ferrara, Filomena, Piccinini, Sandro, Loriedo, Mario, Febonio, Barbara
• Granted Patent: US 8,972,534 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9577 Optimising the visualization of content, e.g. distillation of HTML documents
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles

Abstract

An arrangement permitting a user for example in a internet point or using a different profile in the same machine can connect to a web server to download and install local client software such as a java application or a browser plug-in the first time he accesses to this service from that browser in order to customize his environment. Once authenticated, he can choose the personalization to be performed in whatever application installed and eligible to be user customizable. For example he can replicate in the system his browser settings (favorites, cookies, forms etc) or word templates as a clone of environment setting of his personal machine. The customization can depend on pre-defined profiles to allow the user customization of a subset of settings, for example only browser settings. Models of different operating environments are defined and called upon to enable interactions with different client devices.

Claims

1. A method of managing settings in a client device connected to a data network, the method comprising:

determining details of an environment at the client device;

selecting an environment model as a function of the environment;

retrieving setting data from the data network;

transforming the setting data so as to conform to the environment with reference to the environment model; and

adjusting settings in the client device so as to incorporate the transformed setting data with reference to the environment model.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

downloading a personalisation application from the data network;

executing the personalisation application at the client device wherein the personalisation application implements the determining, selecting retrieving, transforming. and adjusting steps.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the personalisation application comprises platform independent code.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the environment model corresponds to an operating system running on the client device.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

using the environment model to determine details of the application software environment at the client device, and

selecting an application model as a function of the application software environment, wherein transforming the setting data so as to conform to the environment with reference to the environment model is carried out so that the setting data conforms to the application software environment, and wherein adjusting the settings in the client device so as to incorporate the transformed setting data with reference to the environment model is carried out with reference to the application software environment.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing original settings present at the client device prior to adjusting the settings in the client device so as to incorporate the transformed setting data with reference to the environment model.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

comparing the transformed setting data with the original settings of the client device to detect any changes implemented during a session.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

uploading the setting data from the client device via the data network.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

restoring the original settings.

12. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

detecting a case where a component of the transformed software setting is incompatible with the application software environment at the client device.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

retrieving an alternative application model.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein there is a defined hierarchy of models and wherein retrieving the alternative application model further comprises successively retrieving models according to the hierarchy of models until a satisfactory model is found.

4-5. -5. (canceled)

15. A method of enabling unified setting adjustment in a client device connected to a data network, the method comprising:

defining a plurality of environment models corresponding to a plurality of operating environments;

storing setting data;

storing a client application;

transmitting the client application to the client device for execution thereon over the data network on demand;

receiving an environment model request from the client application as executed on the client device;

transmitting a selected one of the plurality of environment models in response to the environment model request;

receiving a setting data request from the client application as executed on the client device; and

transmitting selected setting data in response to the setting data request.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving new setting data from the client application as executed on the client device; and

storing the new setting data.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving a new environment model from the client application as executed on the client device; and

storing the new environment model.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

defining a plurality of application models corresponding to a plurality of applications;

storing the plurality of application models;

receiving an application model request from the client application as executed on the client device; and

transmitting a selected one of the plurality of application models in response to the application model request.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

receiving a new application model from the client application as executed on the client device; and

storing the new application model.

20. A system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the memory comprises instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

determine details of an environment at the client device;

select an environment model as a function of the environment;

retrieve setting data from the data network;

transform the setting data so as to conform to the environment with reference to the environment model, and

adjust settings in the client device so as to incorporate the transformed setting data with reference to the environment model.

21. A computer program product comprising a computer a computer recordable medium having a computer readable program recorded thereon, wherein the computer readable program, when executed on a computing device, causes the computing device to:

determine details of an environment at the client device;

select an environment model as a function of the environment;

retrieve setting data from the data network;

transform the setting data so as to conform to the environment with reference to the environment model; and

adjust settings in the client device so as to incorporate the transformed setting data with reference to the environment model.

22. (canceled)