Method for providing software to a remote computer

• US 6,026,366 A
• Filed: 10/14/1997
• Issued: 02/15/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Motorola Solutions, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Grube, Gary W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Choules, Jack M.
• Application Number:
  US08/950,502
• Time in Patent Office: 854 Days
• Field of Search: 705/10, 705/26
• US Class Current: 717/172
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A communication system (100) employs a method for providing software to a remote computer (e.g., 116) or network server (e.g., 114). The remote computer (or network server) and a host computer (101) each has a radio communication device (102, 115, 117) coupled to it. The remote computer transmits information related to the computer'"'"'s present configuration to the host computer via the remote computer'"'"'s radio communication device, wherein such information includes information indicating software applications presently contained within the remote computer. Based on the received configuration information, the host computer determines whether the remote computer is in need of software that compliments the software applications presently contained within the remote computer. When the remote computer is in need of such complimenting software, the host computer selects software applications that compliment the software applications presently contained within the remote computer and transmits a list of the complimenting software to the remote computer via the host computer'"'"'s radio communication device. Upon receiving the list of complimenting software, the remote computer determines whether it wants to obtain any of the listed software from the host computer and, when it does, selects the desired software from the list. The remote computer then transmits the list of selected software to the host computer via the remote computer'"'"'s radio communication device. Subsequent to receiving the remote computer'"'"'s list, the host computer transmits the selected software applications to the remote computer.

Claims

1. A method for a host computer to provide software to a remote computer, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving, from the remote computer via a radio communication device coupled to the host computer, network information related to a present configuration of the remote computer, wherein the network information includes at least information indicating software applications presently contained within the remote computer;

determining, based on the network information, whether the remote computer is in need of software that compliments the software applications presently contained within the remote computer;

when the remote computer is in need of software that compliments the software applications presently contained within the remote computer,

selecting at least one software application that compliments the software applications presently contained within the remote computer;

transmitting a list of complimenting software to the remote computer via the radio communication device, wherein the list of complimenting software includes an identifier for the at least one software application;

receiving, from the remote computer via the radio communication device and responsive to the step of transmitting the list of complimenting software, a list of software desired by the remote computer to produce selected software, wherein the list of software desired by the remote computer is a subset of the list of complimenting software; and

transmitting, via the radio communication device, the selected software to the remote computer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the network information further comprises information indicating a hardware platform of the remote computer.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of receiving, from the remote computer via the radio communication device, information related to statistical use of software applications contained within the remote computer.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising the step of generating user marketing reports based on the information related to statistical use of software applications contained within the remote computer.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of receiving information from the remote computer comprises the step of receiving information from a server computer of a multiple computer network.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of, when the remote computer is not in need of software that compliments the software applications presently contained within of the remote computer, awaiting receipt of information related to a subsequent configuration of the remote computer.

7. A method for a host computer to provide software to a plurality of remote computers, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving, from each remote computer of the plurality of remote computers via a radio communication device coupled to the host computer, network information related to a present configuration of the respective remote computer, wherein the network information includes at least information indicating software applications presently contained within the respective remote computer;

determining, based on the network information, whether at least two remote computers are in need of software that compliments software applications presently contained within the at least two remote computers;

when at least two remote computers are in need of software that compliments software applications presently contained within the at least two remote computers,

selecting at least one software application that compliments the software applications presently contained within the at least two remote computers;

transmitting a list of complimenting software to the at least two remote computers via the radio communication device, wherein the list of complimenting software includes an identifier for the at least one software application;

receiving, from each of the at least two remote computers via the radio communication device and responsive to the step of transmitting the list of complimenting software, a list of software desired by the respective remote computer to produce selected software, wherein the list of software desired by the respective remote computer is a subset of the list of complimenting software;

determining software that is common to at least two lists of selected software to produce common selected software; and

transmitting, via the radio communication device, the common selected software simultaneously to the at least two remote computers.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the network information further comprises information indicating a hardware platform of the remote computer.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of receiving information from each remote computer comprises the step of receiving information from each server computer of a multiple computer network that includes a plurality of server computers.

10. A method for a remote computer to obtain software from a host computer, the method comprising the steps of:

transmitting, to the host computer via a radio communication device coupled to the remote computer, network information related to a present configuration of the remote computer, wherein the network information includes at least information indicating software applications presently contained within the remote computer;

receiving, from the host computer via the radio communication device, a list of complimenting software that includes an identifier for at least one software application that compliments the software applications presently contained within the remote computer;

determining whether to obtain from the host computer at least one software application in the list of complimenting software;

upon determining to obtain at least one software application,

selecting at least one software application from the list of complimenting software to produce selected software;

transmitting, via the radio communication device, a list of selected software to the host computer, wherein the list of selected software is a subset of the list of complimenting software; and

receiving, from the host computer via the radio communication device, at least one software application identified in the list of selected software.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the network information further comprises information indicating a hardware platform of the remote computer.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of transmitting, via the radio communication device, information related to statistical use of software applications contained within the remote computer.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the remote computer is a server computer of a multiple computer network.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of transmitting network information related to a present configuration of the remote computer comprises the step of periodically transmitting network information related to a present configuration of the remote computer.