INITIATING UPDATE OPERATIONS

• US 20140047425A1
• Filed: 08/07/2012
• Published: 02/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Thapar, Gautam, Li, Jimin, Ramlan, Shiaf
• Granted Patent: US 9,405,526 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/168
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/656 while running
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/71 Version control security arrangements therefor G06F21/57; Configuration management

Abstract

Techniques for initiating update operations are described. In implementations, updates are gathered for a computing device, and grouped based on whether the updates involve a device restart and/or shutdown operation to be installed. Thus, updates that involve a restart can be installed as a group, such as part of a single update and restart operation. In at least some implementations, an update and restart operation for installing updates can be scheduled. A user can be notified of the upcoming update and restart operation, such as via notifications presented in various ways on a computing device. When a scheduled time for an update and restart operation arrives for a device, a variety of factors can be considered in determining whether to initiate the operation. For instance, user presence information and device state information can be considered.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

ascertaining that a restart timer for initiating an update and restart operation for a device is expired;

responsive to said ascertaining, determining whether state information for the computing device may be lost if the update and restart operation is initiated;

if an indication that state information may be lost is not detected;

initiating a countdown timer for the update and restart operation;

presenting a notification that the update and restart operation is imminent; and

initiating the update and restart operation when the countdown timer expires; and

if an indication that state information may be lost is detected, monitoring for preservation of the state information before proceeding with initiating the countdown timer.

2. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 1, wherein the update and restart operation includes installing one or more updates on the device.

3. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 1, wherein the state information comprises at least one of document state information or application state information.

4. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 1, further comprising determining that the device is in a full-screen viewing mode, and waiting for the device to exit the full-screen viewing mode before initiating the countdown timer and presenting the notification.

5. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 1, further comprising ascertaining that the device is operating on battery power, and delaying initiation of the update and restart operation until the device is connected to an alternating current (AC) power source.

6. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 1, further comprising, prior to the expiration of the restart timer, implementing an escalating notification scheme that escalates notification of the update and restart operation as the restart timer elapses.

7. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 1, wherein the notification includes a visual representation of the countdown timer.

8. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 1, wherein the notification includes a selectable control that is selectable to initiate the update and restart operation.

9. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 1, wherein the notification is presented in a modal window that is displayed in a higher visual z-order than any other windows currently displayed on the device.

10. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

ascertaining that an update and restart operation is to be initiated for a device to enable one or more restart updates to be installed; and

determining an appropriate time to initiate the update and restart operation based on user activity information and state information for the device.

11. A method as described in claim 10, wherein the user activity information includes an indication that the device is in a full-screen viewing mode, and wherein the method further comprises delaying a notification that the update and restart operation is imminent until the full-screen viewing mode is closed.

12. A method as described in claim 10, wherein the state information comprises at least one of a document state or an application state, and wherein said determining comprises:

determining that the state information may be lost if the update and restart operation is initiated; and

waiting for an indication that the state information is preserved before initiating the update and restart operation.

13. A method as described in claim 10, further comprising, prior to said ascertaining:

gathering updates, including the one or more restart updates and at least one other update that does not involve a restart to be installed on the device; and

grouping the one or more restart updates in a group separate from the at least one other update such that the one or more restart updates can be installed via the update and restart operation.

14. A method as described in claim 10, further comprising:

ascertaining that the device is operating on battery power; and

delaying initiating the update and restart operation until the device is connected to an alternating current (AC) power source.

15. A method as described in claim 10, further comprising presenting a notification that the update and restart operation is imminent, the notification including:

a visual timer that indicates an amount of time remaining until the update and restart operation is initiated; and

a control that is selectable to initiate the update and restart operation.

16. One or more computer-readable storage media comprising instructions stored thereon that, responsive to execution by a computing device, cause the computing device to implement at least one module configured to:

implement escalating notification schemes for presenting notifications of an upcoming update and restart operation for installing one or more restart updates on the computing device;

determine an appropriate time to initiate the update and restart operation based on at least one of user activity information or state information for the computing device.

17. One or more computer-readable storage media as recited in claim 16, wherein the at least one module is configured to initiate a restart timer for the update and restart operation, and wherein the escalating notification schemes include different notification schemes for different time intervals of the restart timer.

18. One or more computer-readable storage media as recited in claim 16, wherein the at least one module is configured to:

receive updates including the one or more restart updates and at least one other update that does not involve a restart operation to be installed on the computing device; and

group the one or more restart updates separately from the at least one other update such that the one or more restart updates can be installed as a group as part of the update and restart operation.

19. One or more computer-readable storage media as recited in claim 16, wherein the at least one module is configured to initiate the update and restart operation in response to a user-initiated restart operation.

20. One or more computer-readable storage media as recited in claim 16, wherein the escalating notification schemes include augmenting one or more of a pre-existing notification or a pre-existing menu with a notification of the upcoming update and restart operation.