Remote installation system and method

• US 5,859,969 A
• Filed: 01/11/1996
• Issued: 01/12/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Hara, Takashi, Okada, Toshiro, Yamazaki, Toshiya, Oki, Hiroshi, Igarashi, Norihiko, Kamata, Shinji
• Primary Examiner(s): Trammell, James P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DAM, TUAN QUANG
• Application Number:
  US08/585,017
• Time in Patent Office: 1,097 Days
• Field of Search: 395/200.01, 395/200.03, 395/200.09, 395/226, 395/601, 395/610, 395/712, 395/609, 395/615, 395/200.3, 395/200.31, 395/200.47, 395/200.33, 707/1, 707/9, 707/10, 707/104, 707/203, 707/511, 707/514, 345/353, 345/356, 345/146, 345/348, 705/27, 705/26
• US Class Current: 709/200
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation

Abstract

Remote installation system and method for enabling a user to obtain any software through a communication line and automatically install it without taking a long time and requiring labor. A host computer transmits first and second key tables and to a terminal and a display displays keywords, included in these tables on a screen. The user selects keywords, which correspond to his target software, on the screen and the host computer sends a list of software, which corresponds to the keywords he selected, to the terminal. He selects his target software prom the list which is informed to the host computer. The host computer selects it from a software group and stores it on a hard disk of the terminal through a communication line, after checking its operation circumstances using a circumstance file. It is automatically registered in the system and its drive icon is displayed in a storage window. A sub-directory for a distribution destination is automatically created corresponding to the selected software thereby reducing the user'"'"'s workload.

Claims

1. A system for distributing software from a distribution center to a user'"'"'s terminal equipment which is connected to said distribution center via a communication line, comprising:

contents storing means arranged in said terminal equipment and comprising an exclusive storing area as a distributing destination, the exclusive storing area being pointed by a directory and used exclusively for said software;

sending means for sending identification information of the directory in a predetermined communication protocol from the terminal equipment to the distribution center;

sub-directory generating means for automatically appointing a sub-directory of the directory in said exclusive storing area, corresponding to target software, after the target software to be distributed is decided, for sending identification information of said sub-directory in the communication protocol from the distribution center to the terminal equipment, and for automatically generating said sub-directory in said exclusive storing area; and

installing means for distributing the target software to said sub-directory in said terminal equipment.

2. The system according to claim 1, further comprising:

icon display means for displaying an icon, which corresponds to the target software, in an exclusive window which corresponds to said exclusive storing area.

3. The system according to claim 1, further comprising:

keyword display means for displaying plural keywords in two or more hierarchies, and selecting means for causing a user to select one or more keywords corresponding to the target software, from said plural keywords displayed by said keyword display means and reporting said one or more keywords to said installing means, wherein said installing means retrieves the target software from plural software through said one or more keywords.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein said keyword display means displays said plural keywords duplicated in said two or more hierarchies.

5. The system according to claim 3, further comprising:

keyword storing means for holding said plural keywords related to the plural software.

6. The system according to claim 1, further comprising:

circumstance information informing means for obtaining circumstance information relating to software operation circumstances in said terminal equipment and thereby reporting circumstance information to said distribution center; and

circumstance check means for comparing circumstance information received from said circumstance information informing means with that of the target software, checking whether or not they are matched with each other, and reporting a check result thus obtained to said installing means, wherein said installing means determines whether or not the target software is to be distributed, and also determines a distributing method for the target software by responding to said check result.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein said circumstance information informing means gets circumstance information involving operation circumstance information in said terminal equipment obtained at the time when said circumstance information informing means reports to said distributing center.

8. The system according to claim 1, further comprising:

installing menu display means for displaying plural methods of installing the target software; and

selecting means for causing users to select a specific installing method from plural installing methods displayed by said installing menu display means and reporting said specific installing method to said installing means, wherein said installing means installs the target software in said contents storing means according to said specific installing method.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein said installing menu display means displays at least two of installing methods for registering the target software in a terminal equipment system, registering the target software installing program in said terminal equipment system, and down-loading the target software to a terminal equipment.

10. The system according to claim 1, further comprising:

automatic installing means for automatically installing the target software in said contents storing means, according to an installing order described in a setting file received from said installing means.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein said installing means re-writes when needed, and sends setting file contents to said automatic installing means.

12. A terminal equipment comprising:

keyword storing means for holding plural keywords related to plural software;

keyword display means for displaying said plural keywords in two or more hierarchial levels including first and second levels, the keywords displayed in the second level including a part of the keywords displayed in the first level; and

selecting means for causing a user to select one or more of the keywords corresponding to software to be distributed to said terminal equipment from said plural keywords displayed by said keyword display means.

13. A system for connecting a user terminal equipment to a distribution center via a communication line and distributing software from said distribution center to the terminal equipment, comprising:

circumstance information informing means for obtaining circumstance information relating to software operation circumstances in the terminal equipment and reporting the circumstance information to said distribution center in a predetermined communication protocol;

circumstance checking means for preparing a check script information including a description of an interaction in the communication protocol with the terminal equipment to check operation circumstances of user target software, comparing circumstance information received from said circumstance information informing means with the operation circumstances of the user target software according to the check script information, checking whether or not the operation circumstances of user target software match the circumstance information according to the check script information, and outputting a check result thus obtained; and

installing means for determining whether or not the target software is to be distributed or determining a distributing method corresponding to said check result.

14. A system for connecting a user terminal equipment to a distribution center via a communication line and distributing software from said distribution center to the terminal equipment, comprising:

circumstance information informing means for obtaining circumstance information relating to software operation circumstances in the terminal equipment and reporting the circumstance information to said distribution center in a predetermined communication protocol;

circumstance checking means for preparing a check script information including a description of an interaction in the communication protocol with the terminal equipment to check operation circumstances of user target software, comparing circumstance information received from said circumstance information informing means with the operation circumstances of the user target software according to the check script information, checking whether or not the operation circumstances of user target software match the circumstance information according to the check script information, and outputting a check thus obtained;

installing menu display means for displaying plural installing methods for the target software according to the check result;

selecting means for causing a user to select a specific installing method from said plural installing methods displayed by said installing menu display means; and

installing means for installing the target software in the terminal equipment according to the specific installing method selected.

15. A system for connecting a user terminal equipment to a distribution center via a communication line and distributing software from said distribution center to the terminal equipment, comprising:

circumstance information informing means for obtaining circumstance information relating to software operation circumstances in the terminal equipment and reporting the circumstance information to said distribution center in a predetermined communication protocol;

circumstance checking means for preparing a check script information including a description of an interaction in the communication protocol with the terminal equipment to check operation circumstances of user target software, comparing circumstance information received from said circumstance information informing means with the operation circumstances of the user target software according to the check script information, checking whether or not the operation circumstances of user target software match the circumstance information according to the check script information, and outputting a check thus obtained;

installing means for preparing a setting file for each user, in which an install procedure for the target software is described corresponding to the circumstance information of the terminal equipment, and sending said setting file to the terminal equipment when the target software is installed; and

automatic installing means for automatically installing the target software in the terminal equipment, said automatic installing means performing an installation of the target software within the terminal equipment according to the install procedure in said setting file received.

16. A method for exchanging information between a distribution center and a user terminal equipment via a communication line and a distributing software from said distribution center to a terminal equipment, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing an exclusive storing area in a terminal equipment as a distributing destination exclusively used for software;

(b) sending identification information of the directory in a predetermined communication protocol from the terminal equipment to the distribution center;

(c) automatically appointing a sub-directory in said exclusive storing area, corresponding to target software, after the target software to be distributed is decided;

(d) automatically generating the appointed sub-directory in said terminal equipment;

(e) sending identification information of said sub-directory in the communication protocol from the distribution center to the terminal equipment, and

(f) distributing the target software to the sub-directory thus created.

17. A method for exchanging information between a distribution center and a user terminal equipment via a communication line and a distributing software from said distribution center to a terminal equipment, comprising the steps of:

(a) setting plural keywords relating to plural software;

(b) displaying said plural keywords duplicated in two or more hierarchial levels including first and second levels, the keywords displayed in the second level including a part of the keywords displayed in the first level;

(c) selecting one or more keywords, which correspond to a target software to be distributed, from said plural keywords;

(d) retrieving the target software from plural software using said one or more keywords; and

(e) distributing the target software thus obtained to said terminal equipment.

18. A method for exchanging information between a distribution center and a user terminal equipment via a communication line and a distributing software from said distribution center to a terminal equipment, comprising the steps of:

(a) obtaining circumstance information relating to software operation circumstances in said terminal equipment;

(b) reporting circumstance information to said distribution center in a predetermined communication protocol;

(c) preparing a check script information including a description of an interaction in the communication protocol with the terminal equipment to check operation circumstances of user target software;

(d) comparing reported circumstance information with the user'"'"'s target software operation circumstances according to the check script information, checking whether or not the operation circumstances of user target software match the circumstance information according to the check script information, and outputting a check result thus obtained; and

(e) deciding whether or not the target software is to be distributed or deciding a method of distributing the target software by responding to said check result obtained.

19. A method for exchanging information between a distribution center and a user terminal equipment via a communication line and distributing software from said distribution center to the terminal equipment, comprising the steps of:

(a) obtaining circumstance information relating to software operation circumstances in said terminal equipment;

(b) reporting circumstance information to said distribution center in a predetermined communication protocol;

(c) preparing a check script information including a description of an interaction in the communication protocol with the terminal equipment to check operation circumstances of user target software;

(d) comparing reported circumstance information with the user'"'"'s target software operation circumstances according to the check script information, checking whether or not the operation circumstances of user target software match the circumstance information according to the check script information, and outputting a check result thus obtained;

(e) displaying plural installing method for target software according to the check result;

(f) selecting a specific installing method from plural installing methods displayed; and

(g) installing the target software in said terminal equipment according to said specific installing method selected.

20. A method for exchanging information between a distribution center and a user terminal equipment via a communication line and distributing software from said distribution center to a terminal equipment, comprising steps of:

(a) obtaining circumstance information relating to software operation circumstances in said terminal equipment;

(b) reporting circumstance information to said distribution center in a predetermined communication protocol;

(c) preparing a check script information including a description of an interaction in the communication protocol with the terminal equipment to check operation circumstances of user target software;

(d) comparing reported circumstance information with the user'"'"'s target software operation circumstances according to the check script information, checking whether or not the operation circumstances of user target software match the circumstance information according to the check script information, and outputting a check result thus obtained;

(e) preparing a setting file for each user in which an install procedure for the target software is described corresponding to the circumstance information of the terminal equipment;

(f) sending said setting file to said terminal equipment when the target software is installed; and

(g) automatically installing the target software in the terminal equipment, the target software being installed within the terminal equipment according to the install procedure in said setting file received.