Providing Customized Notifications for Security Software Updates

• US 20140282476A1
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Ciudad, Jean-Pierre, Feldman, Daniel I.
• Granted Patent: US 9,727,326 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/171
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57

Abstract

A method of providing customized software update notifications for a device is described. The method receives information for a set of available system software updates from an update server. The set of available system software updates includes a set of security updates. Each security update includes a set of metadata. The method also receives information for a set of available application software updates. The method determines the total number of available application and system software updates. The method generates a customized update notification string based on the received metadata and the total number of available software updates. The method displays the generated customized update notification string.

Claims

1. A method of providing software update notifications for a device, the method comprising:

receiving information for a set of available system software updates, the set of available system software updates comprises a set of security updates, each security update in the set of security updates comprising a set of metadata;

receiving information for a set of available application software updates;

determining a total number of available application and system software updates;

generating a customized update notification string based on the received metadata and the total number of available software updates; and

displaying the generated customized update notification string.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of metadata for only one security update identifies the security update as a critical update, wherein generating the customized notification string further comprises:

selecting one of a plurality of default notification strings as the customized update notification string when the set of metadata for the critical security update does not comprises a customized security update notification; and

when the set of metadata for the critical security update comprises a customized security update notification, selecting the customized security update notification as the customized update notification string.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein selecting one of a plurality of default notification strings comprises:

selecting, as the customized update notification string, a default notification string indicating that a restart for a security update is required when the set of metadata for the critical security update comprises metadata indicating that the critical update requires restart; and

selecting, as the customized update notification string, a default notification string indicating a critical update is pending as the customized update notification string when the set of metadata for the critical security update does not comprise metadata indicating that the critical update requires restart.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of metadata for a plurality of security updates in the set of security updates identify the security updates as critical security updates, wherein generating the customized notification string further comprises:

selecting, as the customized update notification string, a default notification string indicating that a restart for a plurality of security updates is required when the set of metadata for at least one critical security update in the plurality of critical updates comprises metadata indicating that the critical update requires restart; and

selecting, as the customized update notification string, a default notification string that indicates a plurality of critical updates are pending when the set of metadata for none of the critical security updates in the plurality of critical security updates comprises metadata indicating that the critical update requires restart.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of system software updates does not comprise an update comprising metadata identifying the update as a critical security update, wherein generating the customized notification string further comprises:

selecting, as the customized update notification string, a default notification string that indicates a software update is available when the total number of available application and system software updates is one; and

selecting, as the customized update notification string, a default notification string that indicate a plurality of software updates are available when the total number of available application and system software updates is more than one.

6. A non-transitory machine readable medium storing a program for providing software update notifications for a device, the program executable by at least one processing unit, the program comprising sets of instructions for:

receiving information for a set of available system software updates, the set of available system software updates comprises a set of security updates, each security update in the set of security updates comprising a set of metadata;

receiving information for a set of available application software updates;

determining a total number of available application and system software updates;

generating a customized update notification string based on the received metadata and the total number of available software updates; and

displaying the generated customized update notification string.

7. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 6, wherein the set of metadata for only one security update identifies the security update as a critical update, wherein the set of instructions for generating the customized notification string comprises a set of instructions for:

selecting one of a plurality of default notification strings as the customized update notification string when the set of metadata for the critical security update does not comprises a customized security update notification; and

selecting, when the set of metadata for the critical security update comprises a customized security update notification, the customized security update notification as the customized update notification string.

8. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 7, wherein the set of instructions for selecting one of a plurality of default notification strings comprises set of instructions for:

selecting, as the customized update notification string, a default notification string indicating that a restart for a security update is required when the set of metadata for the critical security update comprises metadata indicating that the critical update requires restart; and

selecting, as the customized update notification string, a default notification string indicating that a critical update is pending as the customized update notification string when the set of metadata for the critical security update does not comprise metadata indicating that the critical update requires restart.

9. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 6, wherein the set of metadata for a plurality of security updates in the set of security updates identify the security updates as critical security updates, wherein the set of instructions for generating the customized notification string comprises sets of instructions for:

selecting, as the customized update notification string, a default notification string indicating that a restart for a plurality of security updates is required when the set of metadata for at least one critical security update in the plurality of critical updates comprises metadata indicating that the critical update requires restart; and

selecting, as the customized update notification string, a default notification string indicating a plurality of critical updates are pending when the set of metadata for none of the critical security updates in the plurality of critical security updates comprises metadata indicating that the critical update requires restart.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the set of system software updates does not comprise an update comprising metadata identifying the update as a critical security update, wherein the set of instructions for generating the customized notification string comprises sets of instructions for:

selecting, as the customized update notification string, a default notification string indicating a software update is available when the total number of available application and system software updates is one; and

selecting, as the customized update notification string, a default notification string indicating a plurality of software updates are available when the total number of available application and system software updates is more than one.

11. A method of providing post installation software updates notifications for a device, the set of available system software updates comprises a set of security updates, each security update in the set of security updates associated with a set of metadata, the method comprising:

installing a set of software updates on the device, the software updates comprising a set of system software updates and a set of application software updates;

determining a total number of application and system software updates installed;

generating a customized post installation update notification string based on the set of metadata associated with each security software update and the total number of software updates installed; and

displaying the generated customized update notification string.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein generating the customized post installation update notification string comprises:

when (i) the total number of updates installed is one, (ii) the update is automatically installed in the background, (iii) the set of metadata for the installed update identifies the update as a critical security update, and (iv) and the set of metadata for the update comprises a customized security post install notification, selecting the customized security post install notification as the customized update notification string; and

when (i) the total number of updates installed is one, (ii) the update is automatically installed in the background, (iii) the set of metadata for the installed update identifies the update as a critical security update, and (iv) and the set of metadata for the update does not comprises a customized security post install notification, selecting a default notification as the customized update notification string, the default notification string indicating that a new critical security update is installed.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein generating the customized post installation update notification string comprises:

when (i) the total number of updates installed is one, (ii) the update is not automatically installed, (iii) the set of metadata for the installed update identifies the update as a critical security update, and (iv) and the set of metadata for the update comprises a customized security post install notification, selecting the customized security post install notification as the customized update notification string; and

when (i) the total number of updates installed is one, (ii) the update is not automatically installed, (iii) the set of metadata for the installed update identifies the update as a critical security update, and (iv) and the set of metadata for the update does not comprises a customized security post install notification, selecting a default notification as the customized update notification string, the default notification string indicating that the critical security update is installed.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein generating the customized post installation update notification string comprises:

when (i) the total number of updates installed is more than one, (ii) the updates are automatically installed, and (iii) the set of metadata for each of a plurality of the installed updates identifies the update as a critical security update, selecting a default notification as the customized update notification string, the default notification string indicating that new critical security updates are installed; and

when (i) the total number of updates installed is more than one, (ii) the updates are not automatically installed, and (iii) the set of metadata for each of a plurality of the installed updates identifies the update as a critical security update, selecting a default notification as the customized update notification string, the default notification string indicating that the critical security updates are installed.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein generating the customized post installation update notification string comprises:

when (i) the total number of updates installed is more than one, (ii) the updates are automatically installed, and (iii) none of the installed updates comprises metadata identifying the update as a critical security update, selecting a default notification as the customized update notification string, the default notification string indicating that new updates are installed; and

when (i) the total number of updates installed is more than one, (ii) the updates are not automatically installed, and (iii) none of the installed updates comprises metadata identifying the update as a critical security update, selecting a default notification as the customized update notification string, the default notification string indicating that the updates are installed.

16. A non-transitory machine readable medium storing a program for providing post installation software updates notifications for a device, the set of available system software updates comprises a set of security updates, each security update in the set of security updates associated with a set of metadata, the program executable by at least one processing unit, the program comprising sets of instructions for:

installing a set of software updates on the device, the software updates comprising a set of system software updates and a set of application software updates;

determining a total number of application and system software updates installed;

generating a customized post installation update notification string based on the set of metadata associated with each security software update and the total number of software updates installed; and

displaying the generated customized update notification string.

17. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 16, wherein the set of instructions for generating the customized post installation update notification string comprises sets of instructions for:

selecting, when (i) the total number of updates installed is one, (ii) the update is automatically installed in the background, (iii) the set of metadata for the installed update identifies the update as a critical security update, and (iv) and the set of metadata for the update comprises a customized security post install notification, the customized security post install notification as the customized update notification string; and

selecting, when (i) the total number of updates installed is one, (ii) the update is automatically installed in the background, (iii) the set of metadata for the installed update identifies the update as a critical security update, and (iv) and the set of metadata for the update does not comprises a customized security post install notification, a default notification as the customized update notification string, the default notification string indicating that a new critical security update is installed.

18. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 16, wherein the set of instructions for generating the customized post installation update notification string comprises sets of instructions for:

selecting, when (i) the total number of updates installed is one, (ii) the update is not automatically installed, (iii) the set of metadata for the installed update identifies the update as a critical security update, and (iv) and the set of metadata for the update comprises a customized security post install notification, the customized security post install notification as the customized update notification string; and

selecting, when (i) the total number of updates installed is one, (ii) the update is not automatically installed, (iii) the set of metadata for the installed update identifies the update as a critical security update, and (iv) and the set of metadata for the update does not comprises a customized security post install notification, a default notification as the customized update notification string, the default notification string indicating that the critical security update is installed.

19. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 16, wherein the set of instructions for generating the customized post installation update notification string comprises sets of instructions for:

selecting, when (i) the total number of updates installed is more than one, (ii) the updates are automatically installed, and (iii) the set of metadata for each of a plurality of the installed updates identifies the update as a critical security update, a default notification as the customized update notification string, the default notification string indicating that new critical security updates are installed; and

selecting, when (i) the total number of updates installed is more than one, (ii) the updates are not automatically installed, and (iii) the set of metadata for each of a plurality of the installed updates identifies the update as a critical security update, a default notification as the customized update notification string, the default notification string indicating that the critical security updates are installed.

20. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 16, wherein the set of instructions for generating the customized post installation update notification string comprises sets of instructions for:

selecting, when (i) the total number of updates installed is more than one, (ii) the updates are automatically installed, and (iii) none of the installed updates comprises metadata identifying the update as a critical security update, a default notification as the customized update notification string, the default notification string indicating that new updates are installed; and

selecting, when (i) the total number of updates installed is more than one, (ii) the updates are not automatically installed, and (iii) none of the installed updates comprises metadata identifying the update as a critical security update, a default notification as the customized update notification string, the default notification string indicating that the updates are installed.