METHOD AND SYSTEM TO REGULATE THE ELECTRONIC AVAILABILITY OF APPLICATION SOFTWARE UPDATES BASED ON INFORMATION COLLECTED REGARDING INSTALLATION, USAGE AND SUPPORT FOR THESE UPDATES

• US 20120266155A1
• Filed: 04/13/2011
• Published: 10/18/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Valeriano, Francisco M., Murphy, James
• Granted Patent: US 8,910,142 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/172
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57

Abstract

A method for providing software updates. The method comprises selecting an eligible population for a software update from a target population and distributing the software update to the initial eligible population. Thereafter, use and error information is gathered and the size of the eligible population is adjusted according to a stability calculation based on the gathered information. This process is repeated until the entire target population for the update has received the update.

Claims

1. A method for software distribution, said method comprising:

selecting an eligible population to whom a software update is made available, from a target population;

gathering a use information and an error information from an application instance associated with said software update by a remote diagnostics module;

adjusting the size of said eligible population according to a stability calculation associated with said software update; and

distributing said software update to said adjusted eligible population until aid adjusted eligible population includes the total of said target population.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising distributing said software update to said adjusted eligible population on a set time interval.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said stability calculation is based on said use information and error information and calculated by a distribution engine.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein distributing said software update to said eligible population further comprises:

providing said software update with an Internet connection; and

providing said software update on a removable storage media.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein gathering a user information and an error information further comprises:

collecting use information and error information from an application instance provided to a customer support organization.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein adjusting the size of said eligible population further comprises:

increasing said eligible population if said stability calculation indicates said software update is stable; and

decreasing said eligible population if said stability calculation indicates said software update is unstable.

7. The method of claim 3 wherein said stability calculation is determined according to at least one of the following stability indicators:

the number of said application instances that have successfully installed said software update;

the number of said application instances that have not successfully installed said software update;

the number of said application instances that have used said software update;

the number of said application instances that have encountered an error when using said software update; and

the number of said application instances that have used said software update for a stable time interval.

8. The method of claim 2 wherein said set time interval is one day.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising warning a release manager module when said stability calculation reaches a predefined warning threshold;

and

suspending further distribution of said software update.

10. A method for software distribution, said method comprising:

selecting an eligible population to whom a software update is made available, from a target population;

gathering a use information and an error information from an application instance associated with said software update by a remote diagnostics module and collecting use information and error information from an application instance provided to a customer support organization; and

adjusting the size of said eligible population and distributing said software update to said adjusted eligible population, on a set time interval, according to a stability calculation provided by a distribution engine wherein said stability calculation is based on said use information and error information, until said adjusted eligible population includes the total of said target population.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

distributing said software update to said eligible population, wherein said software update is distributed using an Internet connection or said software update is distributed on a removable storage media.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein adjusting the size of said eligible population further comprises:

increasing said eligible population if said stability calculation indicates said software update is stable; and

decreasing said eligible population if said stability calculation indicates said software update is unstable.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein said stability calculation is determined according to at least one of the following stability indicators:

the number of said application instances that have successfully installed said software update;

the number of said application instances that have not successfully installed said software update;

the number of said application instances that have used said software update;

the number of said application instances that have encountered an error when using said software update; and

the number of said application instances that have used said software update for a stable time interval.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein said set time interval is one day.

15. The method of claim 10 further comprising warning a release manager module when said stability calculation reaches a predefined warning threshold;

and

suspending further distribution of said software update.

16. A system for distributing a software update, said system comprising:

an update manager associated with an application instance that checks an update server for an update for said application instance wherein said update is provided to said application instance if said application instance is selected as an eligible application instance;

a remote diagnostics module associated with said application instance for gathering use and stability data from said application instance and providing said data to a distribution engine; and

a customer support organization for gathering use and stability data from said application instance and providing said data to said distribution engine wherein said distribution engine adjusts the size of said eligible application instance according to a stability calculation and distributes said software update to said eligible population until said eligible population includes a total target population.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein said remote diagnostics module adjusts the size of said eligible population and distributes said software update to said adjusted eligible population on a set time interval.

18. The system of claim 17 further including an internet connection for distributing said software update to said eligible population;

and

a removable storage media for distributing said software update to said eligible population.

19. The system of claim 16 wherein said distribution engine adjusts the size of said eligible population by:

increasing said eligible population if said stability calculation indicates said software update is stable; and

decreasing said eligible population if said stability calculation indicates said software update is unstable.

20. The system of claim 16 wherein said distribution engine performs said stability calculation according to at least one of the following stability indicators:

the number of said application instances that have successfully installed said software update;

the number of said application instances that have not successfully installed said software update;

the number of said application instances that have used said software update;

the number of said application instances that have encountered an error when using said software update; and

the number of said application instances that have used said software update for a stable time interval.