SELF-ADAPTING SOFTWARE SYSTEM

• US 20130055237A1
• Filed: 08/24/2011
• Published: 02/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Fei, Mingbiao, Mishra, Abhinav, Rivait, Derek, Day, Michael, Bennett, James A., Holmes, James Aaron
• Granted Patent: US 8,918,776 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/178
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44526 Plug-ins; Add-ons

Abstract

A software system, such as an operating system, that has multiple parts can be deployed to a computing device incrementally, rather than all at once. The software system self-adapts to the user'"'"'s needs by installing and removing system extensions automatically without user intervention. A core part of the software system is deployed in the computing device, and system extensions are delivered to the computing device when needed. The software system is aware of the system extensions, so they appear to be part of the system, even though they have not yet been downloaded. The system extensions can be delivered to the computing system on demand or over time during idle times of the computing device. Unused system extensions can be removed from the computing device, and can be downloaded again when next needed.

Claims

1. A method for controlling deployment of a software system in a computing device, comprising:

receiving, by the computing device, a core part of the software system, wherein payloads of system extensions of the software system are omitted from the received core part, the core part including basic components and metadata describing the system extensions;

receiving, by the computing device, a request to execute a system action that requires at least one system extension of the software system;

determining, by the computing device, if the required system extension is installed in the computing device;

if the required system extension is determined not to be installed in the computing device, downloading, by the computing device, the required system extension from an external source; and

performing, by the computing device, the requested system action using the downloaded system extension.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the software system is an operating system.

3. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein downloading the required system extension is performed automatically in response to determining that the required system extension is not installed in the computing device.

4. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising identifying parts of the software system required to perform the requested system action in a dependency table that identifies parts of the software system required to perform the requested system action.

5. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising removing previously downloaded system extensions that have not been used in a prescribed time.

6. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising removing previously downloaded system extensions in response to a user request.

7. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein downloading the required system extension is based on the metadata describing the system extension.

8. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising providing feedback to a user with regard to downloading the required system extension.

9. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising automatically removing previously-downloaded system extensions during idle times of the computing device.

10. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein downloading the required system extension is performed automatically in response to determining that the required system extension is not installed in the computing device, further comprising automatically removing previously-downloaded system extensions that have not been used in a prescribed time, wherein deployment of the software system automatically adapts to user needs.

11. A computing device comprising:

a processor and a storage device encoded with computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, perform a method for controlling deployment of a software system to the computing device, the instructions configured to;

receive a core part of the software system, wherein payloads of system extensions of the software system are omitted from the received core part, the core part including basic components and metadata describing the system extensions;

receive a request to execute a system action that requires at least one system extension of the software system;

determine if the required system extension is installed in the computing device;

if the required system extension is determined not to be installed in the computing device, download the required system extension from an external source; and

perform the requested system action using the downloaded system extension.

12. A computing device as defined in claim 11, wherein the instructions are configured to download the system extension automatically in response to determining that the required system extension is not installed in the computing device.

13. A computing device as defined in claim 11, wherein the instructions are configured to remove previously downloaded system extensions that have not been used in a prescribed time.

14. A computing device as defined in claim 11, wherein the instructions are configured to provide feedback to a user with regard to downloading the required system extension.

15. A computing device as defined in claim 11, wherein the instructions are configured to automatically remove previously-downloaded system extensions during idle times of the computing device.

16. A computing device as defined in claim 11, wherein the instructions are configured to download the required system extension automatically in response to determining that the required system extension is not installed in the computing device and to automatically remove previously-downloaded system extensions that have not been used in a prescribed time, wherein the deployment of the software system automatically adapts to user needs.

17. A computer-readable storage medium encoded with computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, perform a method for controlling deployment of a software system to a computing device, the method comprising:

receiving, by the computing device, a request to execute a system action of the software system;

determining if all parts of the software system required to execute the requested system action are installed in the computing device; and

if one or more parts of the software system required to execute the requested system action are determined not to be installed in the computing device, downloading the one or more required parts of the software system from an external source.

18. A computer-readable storage medium as defined in claim 17, wherein the method further comprises removing previously downloaded system extensions that have not been used in a prescribed time.

19. A computer-readable storage medium as defined in claim 17, wherein the method further comprises providing feedback to a user with regard to downloading the required system extension.

20. A computer-readable storage medium as defined in claim 17, wherein the method includes automatically downloading the required system extension in response to determining that the required system extension is not installed in the computing device and automatically removing previously-downloaded system extensions that have not been used in a prescribed time, wherein deployment of the software system automatically adapts to user needs.